Children of Prophecy
by pain17ification
Summary: Done with his role as the Child of Prophecy in his realm, Naruto is sent forth by the Spirit King to assist the Child of Prophecy in another realm. The other CoP: Ichigo Kurosaki. With his parents' souls and Kyubi's as well, Naruto has his work cut out for him and war-time memories to let go of. IchiRuki and NaruHarem. R&R please! UP FOR ADOPTION due to Inability to Continue!
1. Chapter 1: End and Beginning

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading a new story that is a Naruto/Bleach Xover called "The Children of Prophecy". I just want to point out right now that only Naruto, Kurama (Kyubi), and his parents will enter the Bleach Universe. No one else, so don't ask for anyone to appear. Other Naruto characters will be seen in flashbacks or, in Tobi's case, this first chapter. Thank you.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Give it time…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

"_Flashbacks_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 1: The End and a New Beginning

Chaos: that's all that the Kyubi Jinchuriki, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, saw around him. The army of undead shinobi and the seemingly endless Zetsu soldiers kept causing mass destruction for the Shinobi Alliance. Naruto was in his Kyubi Chakra Mode facing off against the man responsible for all the horror: Tobi. It made the blonde's blood boil at the fact that a man who did not care what or who he was called would do all of this. All of Naruto's friends were either dead or dying, and the 40 year old Kyubi host was at his wits end. He and the Alliance believed that the war ended 20 years ago when Tobi seemingly died! The fact that everyone let their guards down over the past two decades was not missed by the No-Named psychopath. What confused the blonde was how the Zetsu forces were remade to their originally endless numbers. Tobi saw his confusion and started to laugh insanely. He then stared at the Jinchuriki and said, "I've been biding my time for 20 years just for this day: the day where my 'Moon-Eye Plan' becomes a reality! And there isn't a thing you can do about it, boy!"

"How the fuck are you still alive, teme?" Naruto roared.

"Don't you understand? With the power of the Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan I have reached immortality at its greatest. I cannot die by such simple means as a _Rasengan_ through the heart." He then cackled madly again and yelled, "This is the end for you, Namikaze!" he then held out his left hand and a familiar chirping sound came from it. "I'm glad that I witnessed this attack from Sasuke; the _Chidori_! But let me add my own little flare to it." His EMS started to spin while gazing at the _Chidori_ and the flames of _Ameterasu_ mixed with it. The lightening and black flame synched together perfectly and Tobi stated, in a deathly calm voice, "_Mangekyou Chidori_."

Naruto cursed and said, "This is for everyone I loved; especially my godparents, parents, and neechan! I still need to destroy you for instigating my parents' deaths, having Kurama sealed inside me, starting this war, and killing Anko-nee, you psychotic bastard!" The Cloak's "arms" started to form a dark sphere in Naruto's right hand and Naruto was soon holding his _Biju Rasengan_ in all its destructive glory. He also made a seal-less _Shadow Clone_ that had mental orders for what Naruto called his final trump card. He then said in pure determination, "Let's end this, Tobi. It's time for you to die."

Tobi said nothing and paid the _Shadow Clone_ no mind. Why would he when the clone just needed a single hit to dispel. Both men charged, their jutsu at full power, and thrust their techniques at each other. With a roar, both jutsu clashed and met at a standstill. However, while that was happening, the Naruto clone went through a long series of handsigns, and it prepared for the technique that his father used to stop Kurama's rampage: the _Shiki Fuiin_.

Little did Tobi know, the "clone" was actually the real Naruto who substituted with it the moment he made the clone. This was all part of Naruto's trump card. As soon as the two jutsu in the power struggle cancelled each other out, Naruto would use the _Shiki Fuiin_ on Tobi to end the war. Tobi may have an immortal body, but Naruto believed that no one can have their soul be out of the Shinigami's reach. Naruto saw the end of the clash right when he finished the last handsign. He then rushed at Tobi while the clone dispelled itself to create a smokescreen. When he reached the madman, Naruto gripped his shoulders and used the last of Kurama's chakra to give him the strength to not let go.

Tobi's eyes widened when he saw the purple face of the Shinigami and he grew fearful. He had no idea that this brat was able to perform such a feat. The entity of death took the dagger it had out of its mouth and stabbed the blade right through both the Namikaze and the Nameless Madman. Naruto merely smiled through the pain and said, "Your time is up, teme. I hope you enjoy your stay in Shinigami-sama's stomach!"

Tobi began to feel his soul being ripped away from him. He desperately tried to stop it, but it kept pulling away. His final words before his soul was completely ripped away were, "Damn you, Namikaze! My plan is ruined all because of you! Damn you!" And with that last, enraged cry, Tobi, the catalyst for the 4th Shinobi War, had finally been defeated. Naruto then collapsed from the pain and loss of chakra. He believed that he performed his "last" act as a shinobi perfectly; however, the Shinigami had other plans.

In Limbo

Naruto's lifeless body floated in a world surrounded by light. Gone were the clothes reminiscent of his tou-san's Hokage gear. Instead, he wore a plain white kimono with an orange obi and his Konoha headband wrapped around his neck. He wasn't alone though. Beside him, in similar outfits, were his tou-san and kaa-san. His tou-san was Minato Namikaze and his kaa-san was Kushina Uzumaki. They were surprised that they were here but they soon remembered the request that the Shinigami agreed to. They relaxed and just waited for their Sochi to awaken. The Shinigami himself was there as well. He had big plans for the Child of Prophecy of the Elemental Realm.

Naruto soon began to stir and woke up slowly. He saw nothing but light and felt nothing but warmth. It was strange; **this** was the Shinigami's stomach? Why did it feel so relaxing? He then looked to his left and saw the other three. His breath hitched in his throat when he saw the loving faces of his parents. Faster than a Hiraishin, he had them both in a hug and was crying tears of happiness. "This is real?" he asked, unsure of what he was feeling.

Kushina had tears of joy as well and she replied, "Hai, Sochi-kun. We're real and you really are holding us." She was truly happy to see her son again. The time she had when she helped him tame Kurama's power wasn't nearly enough for her, and she was in pure anguish when she had to leave her son. But she was holding him now; that was enough to make her smile.

Minato hugged his son and had similar thoughts as Kushina. He was overjoyed to see his son again and was proud to have been his father.

The Shinigami watched the reunion with a gentle smile of his own (kinda weird since he's a seriously scary looking spirit, huh?). He knew of the sacrifices they all made since he was the deliverer of said sacrifices. He planned to repay those sacrifices with his offer he had, so he immediately got their attention. "Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, you have proven true bravery and determination with your sacrifice. I am pleased to tell you that your actions have succeeded in ending the war and you will be repaid for all you have endured."

Naruto was shocked at that. He was gonna be repaid for everything? How was that possible? "How are you gonna repay me, Shinigami-sama?"

The Spirit smiled and said, "By offering you a chance at life again; only, it will be very different from your previous one."

"Exactly how different?" Kushina asked, worried for her son.

"Naruto will technically still be dead where he is going. The realm I am sending him to is called 'The Spirit Realm'. The one you all were born in was the 'Elemental Realm'. Naruto will actually be a Shinigami."

"How is that possible when **you** are the Shinigami?" Minato asked.

"In that realm, I am known as the 'Spirit King', the King of all Spirits and Shinigami. The Shinigami in the Spirit Realm are actually soldiers and deliverers of judgment for the deceased. They wield sword with incredible power that are called 'Zanpakuto', and each one is unique to its wielder. Naruto will become a Shinigami and fight alongside the Child of Prophecy for the Spirit Realm. That is how his life will be different."

"So, where do my parents come in?" asked Naruto.

The Spirit King smiled and said, "They will become your Zanpakuto. The both of them will each take the form a sword and will have their original abilities from your world sealed away. You should know that Zanpakuto gain power when the wielder knows its name. Unfortunately for you, your parents will have different names that hold their abilities. The will still be Minato and Kushina, but they will have a **secondary** name for their power. Do you understand?"

Naruto nods and asks, "What else should I know about this new realm?"

The Spirit King then explained the Soul Society, its individual squads, its duties, wholes, hollows, and Shinigami abilities such as Shunpo and Kido. Naruto and his parents absorbed this information like sponges and agreed to this offer from the Shinigami. But then, the Shinigami dropped the bomb on them. "Naruto, you should know that when a person with high reiatsu dies, their spirit form takes on the age when their heart was at its strongest. Do you know what age this was for you?" Naruto thought about it long and hard but shook his head in the negative. "Remember when you vowed to stop crying and actually try to make people see you for you?"

Naruto suddenly remembered when he made that promise. But it was so long ago and he was surprised at the age he made that promise. "You mean to tell me that my spirit form will be that of my 7yr old self?" His parents were shocked at that. Naruto's heart was strongest at age 7? "I have to become a kid again?"

"Not exactly. You will look like a kid, but you will still have all of your knowledge, wisdom, experience, and memories. Most souls look **much** younger than they actually are. You are no exception, my young Jinchuriki. Speaking of which; Kurama will be coming with you and be sealed in you again." The three souls gasped at that. "He will act like a secondary reiatsu source, but a 'hollow-like' reiatsu source. If you are able to tame him again, you will be able to regain your Jinchuriki powers you had when you were alive. However, he will not awaken until you have awakened both of your Zanpakuto powers and are beginning to achieve bankai. Understood?"

Naruto nodded eagerly and said, "Let's get started already!" The Spirit King merely chuckled and spread his energy around the small family and, in a flash of light, all that remained was a 7yr old Naruto and two katana swords. They both had black sheaths and silver guards but one had a yellow handle while the other was a deep crimson. These swords were the Zanpakuto of Minato and Kushina respectably. Naruto was dressed in a black shirt with an orange Uzumaki spiral on the front, black cargo pants, black sneakers with orange flames on them, a tan trench coat (to honor Anko's memory), and a crimson scarf on his neck that covered the lower half of his face. Under the scarf was the necklace Tsunade gave him and on his forehead was the same horned headband Jiraiya had, except the kanji said "soul" instead of "oil". His hair also changed from straight blonde to red roots flowing into his natural blonde hair. He checked himself out before giving the Spirit King and eye smile and a nod. He then strapped his father to his waist and his mother to his back. "Alright, Shinigami-sama, I'm ready to go."

The entity of death nodded and opened up a portal to the Spirit Realm, or more specifically, Karakura Town. "You will begin your new life in this city in the world of the living. Good luck Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze and give them hell kid.

Naruto gave another eye smile and said, "I will, and thank you for this Shinigami-sama. Thank you for this second chance." He then became depressed and said, "I just wish that the others could've come too."

Even though they were now his Zanpakuto, he felt as if his parents tried to console him after that comment; it felt as if they placed comforting hands on his shoulders. Their comforting presence helped raise his spirits up a little.

The Spirit King shook his head sadly. "Unfortunately, Naruto, I was only allowed to bring the four of you according to Kami-sama's orders. I'm sorry."

Naruto nodded his head solemnly and said, "Well, at least I still have their memories. I will keep those in my heart always." And with that, he stepped through the portal and headed off to start his new life.

The King of the Spirit Realm watched his newest Avatar of Death head off to face his new life. Smiling at the determination the blonde showed, he said to himself, "Good luck, Child of Prophecy. I look forward to what you and the other Prophecy Child will soon accomplish in your new life."

(End)

And that is the end of the first chapter. What did you think? I've read a lot of stories where Naruto either goes to the Seireitei, or he gets a Zanpakuto, or both. I don't think anyone has attempted one where his **parents** are his Zanpakuto. I hope I'm the first.

Anyway, I'll try and update this story every Sunday, and I'll also try to update my first story (Bonds of the Uzumaki) every Saturday. Be sure to check out both stories as well as R&R please. PM me also if you guys want to. I'd love to hear any ideas or suggestions from you all. Thanks!

This is pain17ification, signing off!


	2. Chapter 2: Meetings and Memories

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". I saw that on the **first** day this story came out, it had over 200 views, 2 reviews, and was already a favorite by about 6-7 people! It was even put on a C2! Thank you all for your support and I hope to keep up the good work and keep this and "Bonds of the Uzumaki" entertaining and interesting. Btw, you guys should check out the song "Not Alone" by Red. It is a great song that I felt connected Naruto and his parents. I don't own it.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Give it time… It **will** happen eventually…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

"_Flashbacks_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 2: Meeting the Werecat and Memories

After Naruto stepped through the portal made by the Spirit King, he landed on a roof of one of the many tall buildings of Karakura Town. Karakura was a sight to behold for the now 7yr old looking Shinigami. The lights, the strange machines (cars, buses, etc.), the style of clothing (remember, the Elemental Realm had different styles compared to the Spirit Realm), and the fact that there were hundreds of people! He decided to stop watching from the roofs and get a closer look.

City Streets

Looking from the rooftops was nothing compared to the view up close. Naruto was just glad that the language of the city was the same as back home. He figured that out by the signs and by listening in on conversations of civilians. There was only one problem that he had: **no one** was able to see him! He tried desperately to get someone's attention, but no one took notice. He even kicked someone! While the person felt the kick, they could not see the red-blonde right in front of him.

Naruto was at his wits end until he felt something nudge his leg. He looked down and saw that it was a cat as black as night that had yellow eyes that were practically glowing (imaginary cookie for whoever guesses the identity of the cat). It meowed at him and he looked around to see if it was calling anyone else. He realized it was indeed him the cat wanted when it nudged him again with its paw. He bent down to the cat and asked, "Whatcha need, Neko-chan?" The cat tilted its head towards an alleyway and headed for it. Confused with the cat's actions, Naruto followed it to get answers.

Alleyway

When they reached the dead end of the alleyway, the cat turned around and, to Naruto's surprise, smiled at him. Then to his shock, it spoke and said, "The people here cannot see you, Shinigami."

Naruto narrowed his eyes in suspicion and asked, "How do you know about the Shinigami? And who are you? You're obviously more than a simple cat."

The cat chuckled and said, "To answer your second question, my name is Yoruichi Shihoin. As for your first question, I'm afraid I don't quite trust you yet with that answer."

His eye twitched but he replied, "My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze (1). Now, why are you even talking to me? If you don't completely trust me, why would you even interact with me?"

"Simple; I was curious about your behavior. You seemed as if you've never seen a big city before."

"You're right. I haven't. Especially one this advanced in technology. We never had things this nice back home."

"And 'back home' would be?"

He smirked and said, "I'm afraid I don't quite trust you yet with that answer."

Yoruichi's eye twitched at the smart-ass answer. Then she (c'mon, we **all** know that Yoruichi is female) sighed and said, "Fair enough. How about we get to know each other and try and set up some kind of trust?"

Naruto nodded and said, "That sounds good. But first, why don't you reveal your **true** form? I don't particularly like being tricked; especially with fake appearances."

Yoruichi was shocked that he noticed her disguise, but she complied. She was glad that they were away from prying eyes and she transformed into her true self. Her paws became hands and feet. Her limbs became arms and legs. Her tail disappeared and her cat ears became human ears. She grew to about 5'2" and gained chocolate skin and violet hair. Her eyes were still a piercing yellow and there was one other thing; she was completely naked. Naruto had to avert his eyes for two reasons: to not be seen as a pervert and because what she did reminded him of a similar prank that his Anko-nee pulled on him, which made him remember that she was dead. Yoruichi thought that the boy was just shy until she saw the depressed look in his averted gaze. For once, she put on clothes without even being asked. When she was done, she said, "Alright, you can look now."

When Naruto looked back at the werecat, his eyes had a mix of sadness and anger making Yoruichi actually flinch. "Any reason why you decided to appear naked?" he asked.

"Sorry about that. Whenever I return to my true form, I appear without clothes on. But, the good news is that the clothes appear right next to me." She then tried to look into his eyes to see some form of identity. She was surprised when she saw his eyes were not that of a 7yr old, but they were the eyes of someone who has lost everything and has almost given up on life. "Are you alright?" she asked. "You seem troubled."

"No," he said solemnly, "I'm not alright. I'm actually a little fed up with everything."

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked, trying to let him know she can be trusted. When he slowly nodded, she smiled softly and put her hand on his shoulder. When he looked up, she said, "Hold on. You might get a little dizzy after this." They then disappeared in a Shunpo.

Karakura Town Park

When they appeared in the park via Shunpo, Yoruichi expected Naruto to fall over or puke, but the boy didn't even seem fazed. This surprised the werecat, but she didn't show it. "Well, now that we're alone, why don't you tell me your story?"

Naruto nodded and took a deep, calming breath. He then felt the comforting hands of his parents on his shoulders and he knew they were there for support. "Before I start, you should know that my life was not easy (understatement of the century) and you may view people differently after this. Are you sure that you want to hear this?" When she nodded, he sighed and said, "I was born 40 years ago, on October 10th. On that day, in my home village of Konohagakure, a psychotic bastard, who called himself Tobi, took advantage of a problem my mother had during childbirth. She was the Jinchuriki, or human sacrifice, of the demonic Kyubi no Kitsune. The Kyubi was one of the nine Biju, or tailed beasts of my realm." Yoruichi was confused when he said "my" realm but let him continue. "Anyway, during childbirth, female Jinchuriki have to put most of their energy into helping the fetus develop, so the energy holding back their Biju is drastically lowered. Tobi took full advantage of that and helped Kurama, the Kyubi, escape and then took control of him through the means of a special eye called the Sharingan. With Kurama under his control, Tobi became a serious threat, especially after Kurama was sent to destroy Konoha. My father, who was the leader of the village at the time, fought Tobi and released his hold on the Kyubi. After that, he used a special shinobi technique from my realm called the _Shiki Fuiin_, which summoned the Shinigami, who I found out recently is actually the Spirit King of this realm." Yoruichi's eyes widened considerably at that.

"The Shinigami then sealed Kurama's soul, along with parts of my parents' souls, inside of me and the hell known as my life began. At a young age, due to the villagers seeing me as the Kyubi incarnate, I was constantly beaten, tortured, and abused. I did not even know I was a Jinchuriki until I entered the shinobi academy and was tricked by a teacher who saw me as the demon fox. I worked hard to prove I was me and not the beast throughout my shinobi career, but it only affected a few people who will always be in my heart. Then, the person I considered a 'brother' decided to defect from Konoha in exchange for power. We failed to stop him, but my godfather, Jiraiya took me on a three year training trip in order to combat an organization after the Biju called 'Akatsuki'. I continued to fight for my village and combat the Akatsuki; I even had a few people, such as my godfather, I knew die in the process. I even defeated the supposed leader, Pain, and met my father's soul during the fight.

"Then, the Fourth Great Shinobi War happened. I had to learn to take full advantage of Kurama's powers in order to even have a fighting chance. During the taming of his powers, I met my mother's soul and she helped me win." A lone tear escaped his eye at that. "After taking control of his powers, I entered the fray. However, my assistance only helped slightly since we were fighting undead shinobi and experimental monsters. I even had to fight with the Hachibi Jinchuriki against six other reanimated Jinchuriki. I lost many people, even my godmother and adoptive sister, during the two year long war (Naruto was 18 during the war in this FanFic). We thought the war was over when I supposedly killed Tobi, but it was all an act. We had 20 years of 'peace' before Tobi showed up and reinitiated the war. I ended up following my father's footsteps and used the _Shiki Fuiin_ on Tobi to truly end the war. After I gave up my soul, Shinigami-sama decided to give me, my parents, and Kurama a second chance. Since I was the Child of Prophecy of the Elemental Realm, I was tasked to help the Child of Prophecy of this realm; the Spirit Realm. I became a Shinigami, my parents became these two Zanpakuto you see on me now, and Kurama became a secondary, hollow-like reiatsu source. And now, here I am talking to you."

Yoruichi was stunned and in total shock at the whole story. A boy, cursed to hold a demon, risked his life to save the people who shunned him and now has a chance at life again, but he must help out a "Child of Prophecy". She looked into his eyes and saw that they had fear, hope, and despair. He was afraid of her rejection, was hoping she wouldn't shun him, and was in complete despair at his loved ones' deaths. He wasn't looking at her due to his fear of rejection, so she decided to show that she accepted him by giving him a comforting hug. For Naruto, he was shocked that the embrace felt just like Anko's whenever he was feeling depressed; it felt like the embrace of a loving, older sister. When he looked at her, she smiled at him and said, "You don't have to worry about me rejecting you. I believe you, Naruto, and I'm sorry that you had to go through all of that. I promise I'll do whatever I can to help you."

That promise broke the emotional barrier and the child-like Shinigami threw himself into the woman's arms and cried his heart out for those he lost and for his cursed life. Yoruichi just held him and whispered comforting words to him. After what seemed like hours, he let her go and wiped the rest of his tears away. He then saw the moon and the fact that it was full. Yoruichi followed his gaze and the two seemed mesmerized by the ethereal light of the lunar land mass. "Y'know," Naruto said, breaking the silence, "Whenever I would see a full moon, I always felt as if I heard a woman's voice singing me a lullaby to help comfort me." Unknown to them both, Kushina gasped in Naruto's mindscape because she would always try to contact her son through her song. "It always made me forget my troubles and made me smile."

Yoruichi saw that Naruto had a completely content look on his face when he said that. "Do you remember how it went?"

He nodded and began to sing the lullaby.

(I do not own this song: "If I Had Words" from the movie Babe)

"_If I had words to make a day for you,_

_I'd sing you a morning, golden and new._

_I would make this day last for all times._

_Give a night deep in moonshine._

_If I had words to make a day for you,_

_I'd sing you a morning, golden and new._

_I would make this day last for all times._

_Give a night deep in moonshine."_

When he finished, he had a few more tears of happiness flow from his eyes. "It's funny; I always felt as if I was being sung to by my mother, but I never heard her voice until I met her soul. After I met her, I had no doubt that it was her singing to me." He then said mentally to his mother's soul, 'Thank you kaa-san. I was always comforted by your song.'

Kushina smiled and had tears of happiness in her eyes as well. 'You're welcome, Sochi. I love you.'

Yoruichi smiled toward him and said, "Well, your mother sounds like an incredible woman."

"You have no idea," he responded. "So, now that we got my story out of the way, I just wanted to say thank you for lending me an ear. I've never completely opened up to anyone other than my family, so thanks Yoruichi. If you need help with anything, I'd be happy to lend a hand."

She smiled and said, "Well, why don't we meet my partner, Kisuke? I'm sure he'd be able to help you adapt to this realm."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?" Naruto asked in determination. "I gotta give my new role as a Shinigami my whole effort, so any help would be greatly appreciated."

Yoruichi nodded and grabbed his shoulder. "Well then, let's not waste anymore time." And with that, they vanished towards the Urahara Shop in a Shunpo.

(End)

(1): Naruto will use the last name "Namikaze" for business, "Uzumaki" for friends and allies, and his full name for meeting new people.

Well, another chapter is done! I know it's like a day after the first chapter, but all of the positive results (hits, reviews, favorites and C2 lists) influenced me to make another chapter. This is all I'm doing until next week though. So do not expect another chapter until then, understand? See ya'll next week!

This is pain17ification, signing off!


	3. Chapter 3: Shopkeeper and Duo of Fate

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Naruto meets Urahara and helps out Rukia and Ichigo. Btw, you guys should check out the song "Unbreakable" by Fireflight. It's a killer song that I do not own.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Give it time…It **will** happen eventually…Maybe…)

Poll Notice: I put in the summary that Naruto will be with Neliel Tu Oderschvank, Tia Halibel, or both. So, for the next five chapters (this one included) you guys will the opportunity to place your votes for the final decision. I'm doing this because I **can't** choose between the two, so I'll let you all do it for me. Please cast your votes!

Review Response: I wanna give a big thank you to Master390 for your awesome and insightful review. Now to answer the concerns; Naruto confided to Yoruichi because she reminds him of Anko, the one who he saw as an older sister. Now, as for the 7yr old Naruto and his future relationship(s), his soul form will permanently age from 7 to around 21 in the future, but I won't say how. I hope that answers the issues you pointed out.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

"_Flashbacks_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 3: The Shopkeeper and the Duo of Fate

The two arrived just outside of the Urahara Shoten and Yoruichi led Naruto inside. The main room was "Spartan" in decorations: a small table surrounded by floor mats, some shelves, and a framed art piece or two. Naruto thought that this "Urahara" was actually making good use of the lesson "look underneath the underneath". Yoruichi then called out, "Kisuke, I know you're here! I brought a guest, so bring your lazy ass out here!"

A voice came from one of the other rooms, "I'm coming, so just have some patience, will you?"

The werecat snorted and replied, "Just get out here already."

Into the room came a sandy-blonde who wore a dark green shirt and pants, topped with a black coat with a white diamond pattern along its bottom half. He also had some stubble of hair on his chin. He wore a green/white striped bucket hat and some traditional Japanese geta on his feet. He had his grey eyes shadowed by his hat. When he saw a boy who looked no older than 7 with Yoruichi, he was a little surprised. But then he remembered that Jinta and Ururu were not much older, so it didn't seem too strange. "It's good to see you again, Yoruichi-chan. So, who's the kid?"

Cue Naruto eye twitch as he responds, "For you information I'm 40yrs old, you lazy baka!"

Yoruichi snickered at that while Urahara cried anime tears. "Nice one, Naruto-kun."

"Why must everyone call me that?" asked Urahara in despair. "I'm not **that** lazy, am I?"

"Oh, yes you are."

Urahara merely continued to sulk and Naruto said, "Hey, Yoruichi said that you were her partner, or something, and that you could help me. I need to know exactly what goes on in this world so that I could blend in easier."

Urahara suddenly brightened up and said, "Of course I can! You came to the right shopkeeper, kid!"

"I told you that I'm FORTY!" yelled Naruto while he bonked Kisuke on his head, resulting in a face plant and a large lump on his head. This also made Yoruichi fall over in laughter. "So, what do I need to know?"

Urahara then used the better of 2 hours explain things such as the technology, styles of fashion (weird how he knows that, huh?), and how this realm differed from the Elemental one due to Naruto explaining how his realm worked. When Urahara heard that Naruto was transported to the Spirit Realm by the Spirit King, he was a little shocked, but then he smiled at the chance to see a Shinigami from a different realm in action. From what Naruto said about his realm, these "shinobi" seemed to be incredible warriors that could possibly take on the Soul Society on equal ground.

"Okay, now that you know what goes on in this realm, what are you gonna do now?" asked Urahara.

"Hmm…Well, I guess I should find someplace to crash first."

"You could stay here, so long as you work for your rent…" the sandy-blonde offered.

"Are you sure? I don't wanna impose on you…"

"Nonsense, "Yoruichi said, "You wouldn't be imposing at all. You'd just be renting a room like any other person."

"Well, if you say so…" he relented.

"Good, so we have your living arrangements in order. Now as for the rent…" Urahara trailed off.

"What do want, Urahara?" Naruto asked in exasperation.

"I want you to do me and my friend Ishin Kurosaki a favor. We need you to keep an eye on his kid, Ichigo. We believe that he is gaining reiatsu since he can already see spirits quite vividly."

"So, you want me to babysit some brat?" he asked incredulously. "You gotta be kidding me!"

"Not babysit; merely observe and report. I'll make it easier for you by giving you a gigai of a 15yr old you so that you can attend the high school he goes to."

"What the hell is a gigai?"

"It's a faux body that Shinigami use to interact with the living realm and be seen, "Yoruichi said. "You'll need it if you wanna actually talk to some people who are **alive**, y'know?"

"Damn…and I'm not getting it for free, am I?"

"Nope!" exclaimed Urahara.

"Fuck…"

"Well, look on the bright side, "Yoruichi began, "At least you get a room and a chance to have a decent cover for your job as a Shinigami."

"**My** job is to assist this realm's Prophecy Child. Simple Shinigami duties are not my concern. And based on the way you guys have presented yourselves, I can see that it doesn't seem to concern you either."

Both of the exiled Shinigami exchanged looks at that and said nothing. They knew that he was right; simple Hollow hunting duties and Konso sessions were not their concern. That was for the Shinigami on City Patrol.

Suddenly, they all felt a reiatsu signature that was dropping fast. Naruto, who was new at reiatsu sensing, couldn't tell that it was a Shinigami, but the other two could easily tell that a Shinigami was fading fast. Naruto grabbed his parents (I'll be referring to his Zanpakuto this way, since they are his parents after all) and rushed towards the source.

"Naruto, wait!" Yoruichi called out and was about to give chase, but she was stopped when Kisuke put a hand on her shoulder.

"He needs to see that his assistance is needed for the Shinigami. Besides, I need to see if it's who I think it is anyway," he said to her. He then grabbed a specially made gigai (the one that messed with Rukia's reiatsu) and followed Naruto along with Yoruichi. "Remember Yoruichi, we are **not** to interfere with whatever happens."

She nodded and said, "Got it."

With Rukia and Ichigo

Ichigo was having a weird/bad day. First, he sees a strange monster-like spirit with a white mask, then he sees a short girl in black robes kill the monster, and then he sees her in his house and she says that she's a **Shinigami** of all things! Then his sister Yuzu comes and says that another of those "Hollows", at least that's what the girl said anyway, had Karin (Yuzu can't see the hollow, but she lets Ichigo know that Karin is in trouble), and now the girl saved him from being eaten while he saved his sister. He was shocked at the amount of damage she just received and the blood she spilled. The Hollow then tossed her away and he went to check on her.

"Are you alright?" he asked in concern.

"I'm fine. However, I'm not in any condition to fight that Hollow… Listen to me; do you want to save your family?" she asked.

"Yes! Is there a way to do that?" he asked desperately.

"There's only one I know of: you must become a Shinigami!" she stated while pointing her sword at him. "I'm afraid that I'm not 100% certain this will work. Just know that if it doesn't, you will die. Now, run this sword through your heart and say your name."

"Give me that blade, Shinigami."

"My name isn't 'Shinigami'. It's Rukia Kuchiki," the newly named Rukia said.

Ichigo grabbed the sword and pointed the tip to his heart. "My name is Ichigo…Kurosaki!" he yelled while stabbing his heart with the sword causing a massive wave of reiatsu to spew forth.

With Naruto

Naruto faltered a little when he felt the massive reiatsu wave. 'I have to hurry!' he thought.

With Urahara and Yoruichi

The two exiles barely flinched at the reiatsu spike. "And so it begins…" Kisuke stated cryptically.

With Rukia and Ichigo

Rukia was seen wearing a pure white kimono and she thought in shock, 'What's going on? I was only supposed to give him about half of my reiatsu, but he took nearly **all** of it!' She then saw Ichigo dressed in Shinigami robes with a sword the size of himself in his hands. 'Could that really be his Zanpakuto? It's huge! How could a mere human have **this** much reiatsu?'

Ichigo roared out a battle cry and swung his sword downward, cleaving the Hollow in two. After the Hollow faded away, the adrenaline pumping through Ichigo ran out and he collapsed in exhaustion.

This was the scene that Naruto came to. He saw Rukia and felt her reiatsu was still slowly fading. He ran up to her and asked, "Hey, lady, are you alright?"

Rukia was shocked at the sight of a child Shinigami. Even Hitsugaya Taicho wasn't **this** young looking. "Y-Yeah, I'll be fine. But, who are you?"

"The name's Naruto Namikaze, at your service. And you are?"

"Rukia Kuchiki, a Shinigami of Squad 13."

"What happened to the kid?" he asked while jerking his head towards Ichigo's body.

"You're calling him a kid? He's older than you isn't he?"

Naruto gained a tick mark and said, "I'm 40yrs old, Kuchiki-san. That kid doesn't look any older than 15. Now, what happened to him?"

"I transferred my powers to him. But, I only meant to transfer half of them, and he nearly took all of them."

"Kid got a name?"

"He said his name was Ichigo Kurosaki."

Naruto then turned a calculative gaze to the fallen teen. 'So, **that's** Ichigo, huh?' "Well, Kuchiki-san, you are lucky to still be alive after all this. Now hold still for a second; I'm gonna help restore your reiatsu a little." Naruto was eternally grateful that the Spirit King told him about Healing Kido, otherwise he wouldn't be able to help Rukia at all.

He started to replenish a little of her reserves and she sighed in relief. "Thank you, Namikaze-san."

"Just call me Naruto. I hate formalities being used on me."

Then Urahara arrived while Yoruichi stayed hidden in the shadows. "Well, Kuchiki-san, it's good to see you again."

"Urahara-san, "she greeted (remember that Kisuke supplies Shinigami with necessities, so it really shouldn't surprise anyone that she knows him).

Kisuke then pulled out his special gigai (no one else knows about what it will do) and said, "Here you are. One gigai to live in while your reiatsu recovers completely."

"Actually, Naruto was helping my recovery."

"I'm afraid that I've already done all I can, Rukia. Since you've transferred the bulk of your reiatsu to the kid, the amount you have now was all I could restore, "Naruto said solemnly. "I'm sorry I couldn't do more." Even in a new realm, Naruto still had the mentality of a person who wants to do all they can for another.

"No, it's alright. Thank you, Naruto, "she reassured him. It seemed to work because his expression lifted a little. "And thank you, Urahara-san, for the gigai. Now, I need a favor…from both of you."

"Huh?" came the, oh so intelligent, response of the two men.

"Urahara san, I need you to help me with Ichigo's family and rearrange their memories; except for Ichigo's. And Naruto, I'll need you to help me assist Ichigo with his new duties as a Shinigami."

"Sure thing!" exclaimed Urahara, who smirked towards Naruto.

Naruto glared at him, and then he sighed while saying "Fine, I'll help you two out. But, I'll only step in when the kid's fights become too much for him to handle, alright?"

Rukia smiled and said, "Thank you."

Karakura High the next morning

Ichigo woke up to his house having a huge hole in it and his family having no recollection of the night before. He was seriously confused about that. He was asked about the damage to his house by many people at school. He assured them that it wasn't too bad while thinking 'Was last night just a dream?'

He was broken out of his thoughts when his teacher said, "Class, we'll be having two new students, so please them a warm welcome."

Then, two teens walked into the room. One of them had black hair and violet eyes and the other had a strange hair color of red-blonde, piercing blue eyes, and **whisker** marks on his cheeks. 'Weird,' thought Ichigo. The guys (except Ichigo, Chad, and Uryuu) thought the girl was cute while the girls (except Orihime, Tatsuki, and Chizuru) had hearts in their eyes for the guy.

The girl seemed to send Ichigo an evil smirk, though no one but him and the new guy saw it, and she said with a bow, "Nice to meet you all. My name is Rukia Kuchiki." The males from earlier confirmed that she was, indeed, cute.

The male teen mere waved in a lazy manner and said, "Yo, the name's Naruto Namikaze. Nice to meet you." The female populous from earlier sighed dreamily at his semi-deep voice.

Ichigo only looked on in shock and thought, 'What the hell is going on here?'

(End)

So, what did y'all think? Was it a good chapter or no? Sorry for not introducing Tessai and the two kids, but they will appear in a later chapter. Next week, Ichigo learns from Rukia and Naruto what it means to be a Shinigami and to protect others. Stay Tuned!

Remember: The Naruto x Neliel/Halibel/Both poll will be up for a total of 5 chapters, including this one. Please cast in your votes by PMing them to me!

This is pain17ification, signing off!


	4. Chapter 4: The New Team

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Ichigo is told about his new duties as a Shinigami and the trio (Ichigo, Rukia, and Naruto) save Orihime.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Give it time…It **will** happen eventually…Maybe…)

The voting for the poll so far (as of June 15) is:

Neliel = 3

Halibel = 0

Both = 7

C'mon people! No solid "Halibel" votes! I know that there is no "official" poll up on the site, but that's only because my "Bonds of the Uzumaki" poll is there instead. I had no idea that only **one** poll was allowed at a time… Sorry… Anyway, please send me a PM with your votes! I look forward to tallying them.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

"_Flashbacks_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 4: The New Team

Ichigo stared in shock as the girl he met last night was at his school. He thought that she was a **soul**; so why was she visible to everyone else? And who the hell was the guy? He had stranger hair than Ichigo did! It was **two** colors!

'What the hell is going on?' Ichigo thought.

The teacher smiled after the two introduced themselves and said, "Well, Kuchiki-san, you may sit next to…Kurosaki-san! And Namikaze-san, you may sit next to…Inoue-san!"

The two thanked her and moved to their prospective seats. Before Ichigo had a chance to talk, Rukia held out her hand and said, in an obviously fake voice, "Hello! My name is Rukia. It's a pleasure to meet you!" On her hand was writing that said, 'Talk, and I will have Naruto kick your ass. We will meet you on the roof at lunch.'

Ichigo looked at Naruto after reading the note. Naruto met his gaze and smirked exactly like Anko once did (you all know **exactly** how she does). The action made Ichigo involuntarily shudder. He nodded to her and focused on the class.

Naruto had walked up to Orihime and smiled while saying, "Hey, I'm Naruto. It's nice to meet you."

She returned his smile and said, "Nice to meet you too, Naruto-san. I'm Orihime and this is my friend, Tatsuki." Said person nodded politely and was making sure to keep an eye on the whiskered teen. She had seen many people hit on Orihime immediately after meeting her, so she tended to look out for her. She was surprised to see Naruto looking her in the eye and not at her impressive…assets.

Naruto easily saw the protectiveness in Tatsuki's eyes and he knew why. What guy wouldn't look at Orihime's (cough) chest when talking to her? He was lucky that Anko beat that out of him at such a young age. Thinking about his sister figure brought sadness to Naruto's eyes; a sight not missed by the two female teens. They were curious about his sudden change in demeanor, but were unable to comment on it because the teacher had started the day's lesson.

School Roof at Lunch

Ichigo was heading for the roof to talk to Rukia and this "Naruto" guy. He had many questions and was determined to get his answers. When he got to the top of the school, he saw the two already waiting for him. Rukia seemed to be having problems with a **juice-box** of all things. Naruto was reading a book (take a guess and I may reward you) before he took it from her and opened it for her. When they noticed Ichigo, Rukia hurriedly finished her juice while Naruto put away his book. Rukia said, "Glad you could make it, Ichigo."

Ichigo scowled and said, "It's not like you gave me a choice in the matter. So, who the hell are you?" he asked Naruto.

"I'm an acquaintance of Rukia's. She asked me to help her out."

"So, you're a Shinigami as well?"

"Not officially. I don't answer to the Soul Society; I actually answer to a **much** higher power."

Ichigo was confused. "What's the Soul Society and who is this 'higher power'?"

"The first question, Rukia can answer. As for your second question, it's none of your business."

Ichigo scowled at him, but before he could say anything, Rukia said, "We aren't here to talk about Naruto. We're here to discuss your new responsibilities."

"What 'responsibilities'? I don't remember signing up for anything."

Rukia smirked and said, "Yes you did when you plunged my Zanpakuto into your heart. When you did that, you took away nearly **all** of my reiatsu. That means that you now have to take over as a Shinigami until my powers return."

"What? Why me? Why don't you have this guy, "he points to Naruto, "do it?"

"I told you, kid, I don't answer to the Soul Society; Rukia does. And since it was **her** reiatsu you took, it's **her** job you are now responsible for. The only reason I'm helping is because Rukia wants me to help you with the tougher Hollows. So deal with it, "Naruto said.

Ichigo crossed his hands and said, "No way!"

Naruto growled in frustration and said, "If you don't help, who's going to save the innocent people of this town from invading Hollows? Certainly not me; I've got something of major importance to do and Hollow hunting is **not** part of it."

Rukia decided to end the arguing and hit Ichigo in the head with a red glove that had a skull design on it. As soon as the glove hit, Ichigo's Shinigami form was pushed out of his body. Ichigo flipped out at seeing his lifeless body on the ground and the other two smirked at his reaction.

"Now then, Ichigo, let's get you used to your new form, "Rukia said.

"Hey Rukia, I need to be released to; just in case."

Rukia nodded and knocked Naruto's Shinigami form out of his body as well. If Ichigo flipped at seeing his lifeless body, then he was going insane at seeing Naruto's 7yr old Shinigami form. "You mean, all this time, you're nothing but a kid?"

Naruto gained a tick mark and said, "Watch it, gaki. I can easily kick your ass if need be."

"And how exactly will you do that, you little brat?"

"For your information, I'm over **twice** your age! I'm 40yrs old, damn it!"

Ichigo just scoffed and said, "Yeah right, and I actually bleach my hair."

Faster than anyone could blink, Naruto was holding Ichigo by the neck over the roof's railing. Ichigo struggled in Naruto's grip while Rukia had her eyes widened. Based on what little she saw of Naruto, she knew he had issues with being called "young" or any variation of the term; however, she had no idea the problems went this far (it's not his age Rukia; it's his emotional state).

"Listen, _Kurosaki_, I haven't exactly had the best week so far. So, I suggest you **not** get on my bad side anytime soon; got that?"

Ichigo could only nod and Naruto tossed him over his shoulder where he landed awkwardly on the roof. He turned on Naruto and yelled out, "What the hell could have made your 'week' so terrible, huh? Lose your toy?"

The temperature in the air was suddenly **much** colder for some reason; even Naruto's parents in his mindscape felt it. Naruto turned to Ichigo and glared hatefully at him. Rukia saw murder in his eyes as well as immense pain while Ichigo only saw the pain. "You wanna know why? I'll tell you why. All my loved ones; they're dead. You know why they died?" Ichigo and Rukia shook their heads no. "They died trying to protect me; **me**, the so-called 'Hero' of my home! They died trying to protect me from some organization that was after my dormant energy. They're dead; every single, fucking one of my precious people is dead! You know what that feels like, huh?" Ichigo's eyes showed pain as well as Rukia's. "So, you **do** know. Well, I could easily tell by the look in your eyes that your pain is **nothing** compared to mine. Knowing that my loved ones are dead because of me is like seeing the punch-line to a real fucked up joke. Hell, even though my parents are now the two Zanpakuto you see in my possession, knowing that I'll never be able to physically hold their real bodies (mindscape doesn't count here) is heartbreaking. So, that is the reason; **that** is why I'm not in the best of moods. But, I know that even though my fucked up life is pretty high up on the list of 'Shittiest Lives', there is someone out there whose life is worse than mine. So, remember kid: your life may suck, but there is always someone else who's worse off." He turned to leave and said to Rukia, "You can teach him what he need to know Rukia. I'll be at the Urahara Shop."

And with that, he re-entered his gigai and left the school.

Urahara Shop that night

(The events with Rukia and Ichigo at the park are canon)

Naruto, out of his gigai, was lying on his bed in his room at the shop. He sighed in frustration over the day's turn out. He didn't mean to lash out like he did, but Ichigo had **really** gotten under his skin. He already planned to apologize to the kid, but he decided to do it at school the next day.

"Welcome to the Urahara Shop!" he heard Kisuke call out.

"Is there some guy named 'Naruto' here?" came the voice of Ichigo. What the hell was the kid doing here?

"Why, yes there is. Hang on, I'll call him."

Naruto was in the main room before Kisuke had the chance. "What do you want?"

Ichigo looked really nervous until he decided to just get it over with. He got in front of Naruto and bowed to him. This shocked the two semi-blondes. "I'm sorry about my behavior towards you today. It was uncalled for; especially with how I made you reveal some of your emotional issues. I'm sorry."

Naruto was still in shock over this. He didn't think the kid would ever do something like this. He sighed and said, "Get up. Don't bow to me; I'm not worth it." Ichigo rose up and had a questioning look on his face. Naruto told Urahara to make some tea and told Ichigo to sit. He felt as if the kid needed to know **exactly** why he felt the way he did.

Little did they know that Rukia was in the next room over listening to their conversation.

One Life Story later

"Now, do you understand why I'm like this? My burden caused destruction from forces that could level this entire town in seconds."

Ichigo was in total shock from the whole story. This kid; no, this man had literally lived through hell and fought against it as well. His respect for Naruto went up tremendously after hearing about his life. And why wouldn't it? Listening to someone give you details of their tortured childhood, struggling adolescence, war-filled adulthood, and noble death tends to make you seriously gain respect for said person.

"Yeah, I do understand. So, do you have any idea who this other 'Child of Prophecy' is?"

Naruto shook his head no. "I've only been here two days, if you count today. I still have time; how much exactly, I don't know. Anyways, I also wanted to apologize for lashing out at you, Ichigo. I may be going through some difficult times, but that doesn't mean I can take it out on others. I'm sorry."

"It's alright. I just hope we could put what happened earlier behind us." He then got up and held out his hand to Naruto. "Why don't we start over; a clean slate?"

Naruto looked at the hand and smiled before getting up and grabbing it. "Alright then, a clean slate. My name is Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze, ex-shinobi of Konoha and the CoP of the Elemental Realm."

"My name is Ichigo Kurosaki, high school student and Substitute Shinigami. And, if you'll help me with my duties as a Shinigami, I'll help you find this other 'Child of Prophecy'." Naruto thanked him for that while they shook hands.

Rukia smiled to herself when she heard them decide to start over. She knew, then and there, that Naruto was the best person to help her with Ichigo. Like Ichigo, her respect for the red-blonde went up greatly. She came into the room, surprising them, and asked, "So, you two settled your problems then?" They nodded and her smile grew. "Alright then, I hope we can work together to protect this town. And Naruto, if you would let me, I'll help you look for this 'Child of Prophecy as well." Naruto nodded in gratitude. She then placed her hand out to them and said, "So, here's to a new team."

Ichigo smirked and placed his hand on top of hers. "To a new team."

Naruto placed his hand on theirs with a small smile and said, "A new team."

And so begins the start of a new protection team for Karakura Town. However, the trio did not know that this team formation would be the catalyst for many things to happen.

(End)

So, what did y'all think? Was it a good chapter or not so much? Next week, the new team helps out a few new friends. Stay Tuned!

I know Naruto is acting a little OOC, but isn't this site called "FanFiction" for a reason? I'm just a fan who felt as if this fiction story needed Naruto to be a little OOC. I apologize now to anyone who doesn't like and/or approve.

Remember: The Naruto x Neliel/Halibel/Both voting will be up for a total of 4 more chapters, including this one. Please cast in your votes via PMing me! Your votes matter people; all votes matter!

This is pain17ification, signing off!


	5. Chapter 5: Saviors and New Strength

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, the trio helps out Orihime and Chad. Naruto and Ichigo also get stronger.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Give it time…It **will** happen eventually…Maybe…)

The voting for the poll is over… I've realized that to continue would be stupid and a waste of peoples' time. The results are:

Neliel = 4

Halibel = 6

Both = 15

So, both women will be with Naruto. Halibel, due to more votes, will be with him first. I won't say when though… All you guys will get, spoiler wise, will be that before the "Rescue Rukia" arc, Naruto's soul form will have aged to 21.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 5: To Save Friends and Gain Power

The next day at school, the trio of Ichigo, Rukia, and Naruto are seen on the roof with the rest of the gang for lunch. Said gang consisted of Keigo, Mizuiro, Chad, Orihime, and Tatsuki. Keigo was bothering Mizuiro while Chad listened to them in silence, the girls, minus Rukia, were discussing school projects (remember the "Orihime Robot" she drew? That's what…), and the golden trio was merely eating in silence. Keigo kept taking glances at Naruto and Rukia. He thought that Rukia was beautiful and that Naruto was strange. He also was jealous of him due to most of the girls in the class swooning over him as soon as he entered the classroom the previous day.

Having finally had enough of just observing for clues, Keigo pointed at the red-blonde dramatically and yelled out, "Why are you here?" His outburst got everyone's attention. "You think you could just come here and get all the girls don't you?"

Naruto looked at him as if he grew a second head. He then turned to Ichigo and asked, "Is he on something? If he is, I wanna try some of it."

Ichigo and Rukia immediately shot him down with a simultaneous "No" and went back to eating their lunch. Ichigo continued with, "And he isn't on anything; he's just that annoying."

Keigo cried anime tears and yelled, "Ichigo you're so mean! I thought we were buds!" He flew at the orange-headed teen in attempts to tackle him, but was intercepted by Ichigo planting his elbow in Keigo's face. The overdramatic teen went down and clutched his face in pain.

"Is it really that simple to shut him up?" asked Rukia and Naruto.

Ichigo merely stated, "Only temporarily."

Naruto stored that bit of info away for later. He then noticed Tatsuki's gaze and asked, "Is there something you need, Tatsuki-san?"

She asked, "You're a martial-artist, right?" He nodded slowly. She smirked and said, "Then you and I are gonna duke it out after school."

"I think I'll pass."

"I wasn't giving you an option, Naruto-san."

Naruto turned to the others and asked, "I'm not getting out of this, am I?" They all shook their heads no; even Rukia and the recently recovered Keigo. "Damn… Do we really have to fight, Tatsuki-san? I just wanna relax after school, y'know?"

She grinned at him and said, "Nope. We're gonna have a good, old-fashioned spar and you're not getting out of it."

The way she said that brought up a memory to Naruto.

Flashback to a 9yr old Naruto training with Anko

The two outcasts of Konoha were in a random training field to help Naruto with some physical exercises.

"Hey neechan, do I really have to spar with you before we train? I mean, you're a Special Jonin and I'm not even a Genin yet! So why do we have to do this?" asked the young boy with his arms crossed.

The violet-haired woman smiled and said, "Yes we do, otouto. We're gonna have a good, old-fashioned spar and you're not getting out of it. So get your ass in gear and come at me already!" and with that the two charged at each other.

End Flashback

Naruto was broken out of his memory by Tatsuki waving her hand in front of his face. "Yo, Naruto you're spacing out! Earth to Naruto: wake up!"

Naruto calmly grabbed her hand, moved it from his face, and went back to his lunch. "If you wanna fight so badly, then we'll have a spar. Just don't get mad at me when you've realized that you bit off more than you can chew, Tatsuki-san."

Tatsuki grinned in victory and said, "I knew you'd see things my way. And don't worry about me Naruto-san. I'm gonna give it my all!"

Soon the bell rang and the gang went back to class.

After school in the gym

It seemed as if news of Tatsuki's fight with the new guy warranted the need for most of the school to show up. They even had the gym coach acting as the ref! Both the fighters were dressed in traditional karate gi and were facing each other from opposite sides of the sparring mat. Tatsuki had a confident smirk on her face while Naruto had a blank look on his. He looked to the spectators and was surprised that some girls from the class had made signs to support him. When the fuck did they find the time to do that?

"Well Tatsuki-san, it seems that we have quite the audience, doesn't it?"

She nodded and her face turned serious. "Yes we do. Just forget about them, Naruto-san. All that matters is you, me, and our spar."

Naruto nodded and drowned everyone out except the ref who was about to begin their match. Once he did, Tatsuki assumed a simple stance while Naruto assumed the stance that his friend Lee had taken throughout his entire shinobi career; the Heavy Fist.

Tatsuki charged at Naruto and threw a right hook, but Naruto merely pushed it aside with two fingers and performed a sweep kick with a cry of "Konoha Whirlwind!" The kick hit her and made her trip out of the ring, giving Naruto one point. The girls cheered loudly while the guys thought the new guy just got lucky. Tatsuki knew better, though. She saw how his eyes dulled before she charged. That meant that he had the mindset of a true martial-artist. She grinned in excitement and thought, 'I knew that this would be a good fight.'

Round two began with Naruto charging at Tatsuki. He had to tone down on his speed so that Tatsuki could have some chance to counter or dodge. She noticed this and was both confused and slightly angry. She was confused about why he handicapped his speed and was a little angry at being underestimated. She ducked under his left hook and struck at his gut. Her blow hit but Naruto wasn't even face and backhanded her in the head, causing her head to spin from the blow.

He dropped his stance and said, "Tatsuki-san, you're a great fighter, but you lack the experience I have. Can we please just end this? I don't want to hurt a potential friend."

When she reoriented herself, she looked at him in determination and said, "No can do, Naruto-san. I agree that you seem like a good friend but I need to test my limits. And right now, my best test is fighting you." She charged at him again and threw a left jab, but Naruto grabbed her arm and spun around, tossing her out of the ring again. Naruto gained a second point and won the match 2-0. He walked up to her and held out a hand to her. She looked at him and saw understanding in his eyes. She grabbed his hand and was helped up. "Why did you go easy on me? Am I too weak for you?" she asked in small sadness.

"Tatsuki-san, you were great. You just need to fine-tune your style and then you can move from being 'great' to being an 'expert'. If you want, I could help you do that?"

She smiled in gratitude and said, "Yeah that sounds nice. Thank you Naruto."

After that the spectators left and the gang went their separate ways. Tatsuki went with Orihime, the boys went to their own houses, Naruto headed for the Urahara Shop, Ichigo went for home, and Rukia went…somewhere. (You guys should know the answer.

That Night at the Urahara Shop

Naruto and Yoruichi were in the middle of a poker game. Since he was still in his gigai and he was technically 40yrs old, she saw no problem with playing Strip Poker. Naruto however, was not in the mood to play Strip anything. This made the werecat pout a little but they still played cards. In the middle of their game, they both felt an influx of reiatsu and Yoruichi merely looked at Naruto expectantly. He sighed and swallowed a gikongan to replace his body while he went to assist his partners. When he left, Yoruichi grinned at the fake Naruto and asked, "Wanna play Strip Poker?"

The replacement shook his head and said, "Boss wouldn't appreciate me messing with his body. So, no Strip Poker, Yoruichi-san."

The werecat groaned in frustration at that.

At Orihime's House

Ichigo, in Shinigami form, was fighting the Hollow that was Orihime's older brother. Her older brother was ranting about how Orihime forgot about him and replaced him. She kept trying to deny it, but in his enraged state, he was beyond reason.

"Hey, asshole!" Ichigo yelled. "Do you know why older brothers are born first? It's so they can protect their families and be strong for them! Right now, you're trying to kill the only family you have left!"

"I don't care! In death, Orihime and I will be together again! And right now, you're in the way of that, Shinigami!"

Rukia was holding back Orihime but lost her grip and Orihime jumped in the way of her older brother's lunge at Ichigo. The Hollow had clamped its jaws on her and she was deeply wounded. However, the hit caused her older brother to snap out of his rage and realize that he had harmed his little sister. Rukia got to work with healing Orihime immediately while her older brother asked for Ichigo to end him. Ichigo was unsure about it, but suddenly he heard Naruto say, "Let him be purified, Ichigo. When a Hollow is hit with a Zanpakuto, they are purified of the emptiness they constantly feel. Besides, this soul has only a little more time before he loses control of his body again. There's no time for anything else."

Ichigo nodded in understanding and was about to purify the Hollow but Orihime called out, "Wait! Before you do that, I have to say something to my brother." She then turned to the Hollow. "Do you remember when you gave me my hairpins? Well, let me say the words I should've before you left that day. 'I love them, niisan. Have a good day; I love you'."

With her goodbye said, Ichigo plunged his sword into the Hollow's mask and it dissolved into spirit particles and he disappeared. Orihime then started firing questions left and right before Rukia used a Memory Replacer on her and knocked her out. She then did the same to Tatsuki unconscious body. After she was done, Rukia and Ichigo begin heading back to Ichigo's house much to Naruto's confusion.

"Why are you going to Ichigo's house, Rukia? You guys sharing a bed?" he asked with a grin.

Both of them turned beet red and yelled out, "No we're not, you baka!"

"Whoa, pretty defensive about this aren't you?"

"S-Shut up, Naruto!" yelled Rukia.

His grin got bigger and he asked Ichigo, "So, how is she Ichigo? I hear short ones are real minxes in the bed."

Rukia yelled in frustration and stormed off while Ichigo was left a sputtering mess. Naruto started laughing like a maniac and headed off to the Urahara Shop. Before he was out of earshot, Ichigo yelled out, "I'll get you back for that, you bastard!"

Naruto just kept laughing and his parents were laughing as well. "That was hilarious, Naruto-kun!" Kushina called out between breaths of air.

"Yeah it was! What made you do that?" Minato asked.

'I just thought that the situation called for it, 'Naruto mentally responded.

"Well, it was a good joke, "his mother said. "Now then, I believe it's time to see if you can hear out Zanpakuto names, Sochi."

He mentally nodded and his father said, "Alright, son, my name is…"

Naruto said, 'I couldn't hear you, tou-san.'

His father sighed while his mother said, "Okay, Naruto-kun, my name is… Uzuhime (Whirlpool Princess)."

'Hey, I heard it! You're name is Uzuhime!'

Minato was in the corner sulking while Kushina was doing a little (yeah right) happy dance. "I can't believe he heard you and not me…" he mumbled.

"Aw, cheer up Minato-kun! At least he heard one of us!"

"That is true…"

"Alright, Sochi, I want you to release my shikai when you get back to that bucket hat guy's place."

'Will do, kaa-san.'

Back at the Shop

After returning to the shop and explaining what happened to Kisuke and Yoruichi, the shopkeeper showed Naruto the underground training room. Naruto was a ways away from the group so that his reiatsu increase wouldn't blow them away.

'You ready, kaa-san?' Naruto asked.

"I'm ready, Sochi."

Naruto unsheathed his mother's Zanpakuto and focused his reiatsu and cried out, "Whirl about, Uzuhime!" Naruto glowed red with reiatsu and in a flash of light he stood there with his new weapon; only he looked a little different. His sword became a katana with a silver blade, a golden guard in the design of the Uzumaki symbol, and a blue handle.

Naruto had changed as well. His hair changed from red-blonde to just red, his eyes changed to amethyst, and he aged by about 8yrs. He now looked like a 15yr old instead of the usual 7yr old. His outfit seemed to just stretch with him and increase in size to fit him.

"Wow, "he began in a deeper voice, "This is incredible! Are all shikai like this? Do they all make you feel stronger?"

Kisuke nodded with a smile. "Yes they do. But just because you're stronger, don't think that you can take on the world, Naruto. Now then, please reseal your sword and let's try and get some sleep."

Naruto complied, but when the sword resealed, the only things that changed were his hair and eye color. They merely returned to their original states and he still looked like a 15yr old. "That's interesting, "Naruto said.

"Yes it is… We'll have to look into it more in the future, but if I had to give a hypothesis right now, I'd say that the more power you get from your swords, the more your soul form ages."

Naruto nodded in agreement while Yoruichi said, "And also, you'll be able to play some Strip Poker in your true form!"

Naruto groaned while the two exiled Shinigami laughed up a storm.

A few days later

It was another day at school and the golden trio was interested in the talking bird that Chad had brought to school that day. Naruto told the other two about unlocking his mother's shikai form and his soul form aging and they were surprised. But they didn't have time to look into it since Rukia told the boys that the bird had a soul of a child placed inside of it. They decided to do a Konso on it later.

Later that day with Naruto

Naruto was walking through the suburbs of Karakura Town when he saw Chad with the caged bird being chased by a Hollow and Rukia was following them. He sweat-dropped at the fact that Rukia thought she could actually do something in her weakened state. Sighing in defeat, he hurried after them.

He caught up to them when Chad threw Rukia at the flying Hollow. She prepared to strike but the Hollow shot some leech-like things at her. He then had to cover his ears due to a high-pitched ring coming from the Hollow that caused the leeches to explode on Rukia. He rushed in and tackled the Hollow away from his partner in Hollow Hunting.

"Rukia, run! I'll hold this guy off!"

She was a little disoriented but was able to make it to Chad. The gentle giant wasn't fond of leaving Naruto with his unknown assailant (remember that Chad can't quite see Hollows yet). He listened to Rukia when she tried to drag him off. Naruto was left to distract the hollow in his gigai and he only had one thought about that: 'Fuck…'

With Ichigo

Our orange-haired hero was rushing off to find Chad and Rukia. He had just returned Karin home and made sure she was alright before he ran off. He found the two he was looking for heading in his direction.

"Rukia, Chad, are you two alright?" he asked.

"We're fine. But you gotta help Naruto. He's holding off the Hollow but he's still in his gigai; I wasn't able to release his Shinigami form." She then hit him with her Spirit Glove and caught his body while his Shinigami form rushed to aid his partner.

Chad asked in worry, "Is Ichigo alright? What did you do to him?"

"He's fine; he's just gonna help Naruto get rid of the malevolent spirit hunting the soul in that bird you're carrying. They'll be fine." 'I hope, 'she added in her head.

The Guys vs. Shrieker Hollow

Ichigo was currently helping Naruto against Shrieker. While Naruto distracted him with his agile movements, Ichigo battered away at him with his Zanpakuto. The two were doing well, until Shrieker decided to go airborne again. Naruto immediately grabbed Ichigo's arm, spun him a little, and then released him sending Ichigo after the Hollow. Shrieker tried firing more explosive leeches at him, but they were eliminated with a simple swing of his blade. Ichigo then stabbed Shrieker in the mask and left him shrieking (Ha! A play on its name!) in pain.

Suddenly, a massive gate appeared before them all. The gate was chained shut and adorned with the bandaged head and torso of a skeleton on each door. The arms of both skeletons are positioned at an angle to pull the gates open when it is summoned. The gate then opened and on the inside, the gate appeared to be prevented from opening fully by two thick ropes with charms attached to them. The face and left arm of a large demonic creature was able be seen behind the gate. It was unclear to the two teenage souls if the ropes were intended to keep this creature inside. It had armor plating on its upper arm and wielded a blade. Its left arm and face were covered in tattoos resembling tribal markings. The demon skewered the Hollow entering the void behind the gate with its blade and pulls it through while laughing. The gate then closed and the entire structure cracked and crumbled into nothing.

"W-What the hell was that?" Ichigo asked in slight fear.

"Those were the Gates of Hell, "Rukia explained, walking up to them. "When a Shinigami purifies a hollow that has committed heinous sins when they were alive, the Gates of Hell appear to take the Hollow to its eternal suffering place. That's what happened to that Hollow."

The two nodded and Ichigo performed a Konso on the bird after being asked by Chad if he would like to be carried around again after the gentle giant's death. The boy agreed and was then sent to the Seireitei via Konso. After memory wiping Chad and taking him home, the trio went back to the Urahara Shop. Once there, Naruto thanked Ichigo for the help and agreed with Rukia that he needed to get a grasp for Kido and try to connect with his Zanpakuto. Ichigo agreed to the training and they set a time for after school at the Urahara Shop since Kisuke had such a spacious training room.

"Alright Ichigo, while Rukia will help you in the Kido department, I'm gonna help you by having spars with you while we use our Zanpakuto. Hopefully during our spars, you'll connect with yours and I can try and connect with my father's. Sound good?"

"Yeah it does. And thanks you two for taking the time to help me out with my Shinigami powers."

"What are partners for?" Rukia asked with a small smirk. "They help each other out when they need it most."

"Yeah Ichigo. And right now, you need the most help, "Naruto continued with a grin.

"What about the midget here? She's the one who needs the most help since she doesn't have her powers back!" he argued.

"True, but she has much more experience than the both of us in Hollow Hunting, and I have plenty of fight experience due to my previous life, so you are gonna need all the help you can get!"

Ichigo just grumbled in acceptance and left for home. Naruto and Rukia had a good laugh at his expense until Rukia asked her red-blonde partner, "Are you doing okay, Naruto?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, it wasn't even a week ago when you practically thought about killing Ichigo. Now, you seem happier. I'm just curious…"

Naruto smiled softly at her concern. "I'm just trying to move on from the past Rukia. I can't dwell on it forever. Whatever happened in my past happened and there isn't anything I can do about it, so the best thing for me to do is to honor the sacrifices of my loved ones and move on. And you know what? I think that spending time with you, Ichigo, Kisuke, Yoruichi, and the rest of the gang at school will be just what I need to do that."

Rukia understood what he meant about "moving on". If she hadn't moved on about Kaien's death, she would still be the shell she once was. She smiled at Naruto and said, "Well, I'm glad that you're feeling okay. If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you Naruto. You've become more than just a fellow Shinigami to me; you and Ichigo are good friends and I want to help out my friends whenever I can."

"Thanks, Rukia. I consider you a friend also." He then headed inside the shop saying, "I'll see you at school, Rukia." She returned his goodbye and left. Once inside the shop, Naruto headed for his room where he saw Yoruichi, in cat form, on his bed. "Something I can help you with?"

"That was very sweet of you, Naruto. What you said about us helping you move on…"

"Well, I truly think you guys can. Y'know Yoruichi, when I got to know you some, I realized that you remind me so much of Anko from my old life. She was like an older sister to me and you've started to become one to me as well. So, let me just say thanks for being you, Yoruichi-neechan."

What he just said shocked her. She was surprised that Naruto viewed her that way, but she still smiled at him for it. She thought of Naruto as a little brother to pick on as well, so being an older sister figure to Naruto wasn't so hard in her opinion.

"Glad I could help you out, otouto."

And with that, she left Naruto to his thoughts. He sighed in sadness at the memories of his loved ones, but he smiled at the fact that he had people to help him move on.

'I swear that I won't let what happened before happen again. I won't let these people who've come to accept and befriend me die just for my sake. That's a promise… A promise of a lifetime!'

(End)

Well, Naruto can use his mother's sword and Ichigo has the strength to kill decent sized Hollows. Naruto has also begun the path of moving on from his past failures and is looking to the future with the ones he knows now. What did you guys think? Please R&R!

Next week, we cover Ichigo's training, Naruto trying to awaken his father's shikai state, and the contest between Uryuu and the Shinigami Trio.

Poll Result Reminder: The poll, once again, has ended. Naruto will be with both Neliel and Halibel but will meet Halibel first due to a higher vote count. No more voting; it is over!

Thanks again guys for all of your support, reviews, and comments. See ya next week!

This is pain17ification; laters!


	6. Chapter 6: Training and a Challenge

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Ichigo is put through a "Shinigami Boot Camp" of sorts, Naruto tries to awaken his father's shikai, the guys take on a challenge set by Uryuu, and Rukia comes to a sad conclusion about her stay in the World of the Living.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 6: Training and a Challenge

It was now the weekend, a time when students were able to relax from the pressures of school and the work it gives out. Unfortunately for our favorite golden trio, it wasn't a time to relax. Instead, the two experienced Shinigami had to begin training their teenage partner, Ichigo. Naruto had asked Kisuke if they could use the underground training room and he agreed. So here they were, trying to come up with a type of schedule to teach the orange-haired teen.

"I think that Kido training should come first, Rukia, "Naruto said. "Not only should he learn it, but I think I might need to get a grasp of the basics as well. I want to experiment on a couple of things."

She nodded and said, "Alright then, let me get Ichigo out of his body and you do the same, Naruto." When both of them were in their Shinigami states, Rukia said, "Okay, before I could start teaching you two Kido, you both need to get a grasp of your reiatsu. So, I want the both of you to meditate." They gave her a look and she yelled, "Just do it!"

The boys sighed and got into meditative positions. Both were told by Rukia to breathe deeply and drown out everything else. They were to try and feel an inner energy inside of them. Since Naruto went through similar training to get a feel for chakra, this was pretty simple. Ichigo however, was having difficulties. He just couldn't relax and sit still. Rukia sighed at this and was about to berate him, but then the both of them felt reiatsu leaking out of Naruto. Rukia was surprised because the feel of it was easily 3rd Seat levels but it was steadily climbing.

"Naruto, relax your reiatsu. You can't just let it leak out like that." He nodded, eyes still closed, and reigned in his reiatsu. Rukia was shocked even further because as soon as he had his energy under control, it went from 3rd Seat to Lieutenant levels! 'How can Naruto have this much power? It's unreal?' She relaxed and said, "Alright Naruto, you seem to have good control over your reiatsu. It's not really that surprising since you can use Healing Kido."

"Thanks, Rukia. I think I can try my experiments now. I'll be over there, "he points to the clearing behind him. "Let me know when it's my turn to teach Ichigo." She nodded and he moved to his clearing. He then unsheathed his father's sword and said mentally, 'Alright dad, try and tell me your name again.'

Minato cleared his throat and said, "My name is…"

Naruto sighed and said, 'Nope, I still can't hear you. Why is that, though? I heard mom easily, but with you I only hear a static-like noise.'

"I don't know, son. Maybe when you met your mother all those years ago, you both connected on a level deeper than the one you had with me. What did you feel when you met me?"

'I felt happiness at meeting you, but I was also angry at the results of what you had to do to save Konoha. I found it hard to just forget about it and forgive you. With kaa-san, I was extremely happy and I found it easier to forgive you after hearing the whole story from her.'

"Hmmm, maybe we won't be able to unlock your father's shikai until you can completely move on from what happened, Naruto-kun? That might be the answer…" his mother mused.

"That makes sense. Maybe when you can fully forgive me, we can unlock it," Minato agreed.

Naruto mentally nodded to them and said, 'Alright, I'll try. For now though, I want to see if I can recreate some of my old jutsu with my reiatsu.' His parents agreed and he set to work.

With the other two

Ichigo was making progress. He said that he was able to feel a strange presence flowing through him. Rukia had him focus on that and he did so. Suddenly, it seemed as if the world froze and in front of Ichigo was a tall, lean-built, and middle-aged man. He had pale skin with a long face and pronounced cheekbones, unkempt facial hair, and long ragged black hair. He was dressed in a tattered white undershirt with high collars, black pants, grey boots, narrow sunglasses, and a long flowing black overcoat with a red hue that flared out into ragged ends.

The mysterious man looked to Ichigo and said, "Ichigo, you seem to be attempting to control your reiatsu; am I correct?" Ichigo nodded. "It will not be as simple as you believe it is. It will take time and patience to accomplish this task. Do not worry, though, for I will assist you along the way."

"Who are you?" Ichigo asked.

"My name is…"

"What was that? I couldn't hear you."

The man sighed and said, "It would seem that it is much too early for you to hear my name. That is a shame. However, that doesn't mean that you won't be able to in the future. Until next time, Ichigo..."

The man seemed to just fade away and time seemed to resume. "Ichigo, are you alright? You spaced out on me," Rukia said in worry.

"Yeah, I'm fine Rukia. I saw this guy, though. He knew my name, but I couldn't hear his when he said it…"

"It sounds like you me your Zanpakuto Spirit, Ichigo. That's actually pretty impressive due to you becoming a Shinigami not even a month ago. You and Naruto are something else, I tell ya…" she said while shaking her head in amusement.

"Yeah, well whatever. Speaking of him, do you think it's time I start learning from him now?"

"Yeah, I'll help you both out in Kido when you two are done."

They both headed to their red-blonde partner only to have their jaws drop at what they saw him doing. He had his right hand outstretched and, on the palm of it, was a condensed, spinning orb of reiatsu. It looked like an orb-shaped hurricane in his hand! They then saw him charge at a nearby boulder and plunge the sphere into it.

"_Rasengan_!" Naruto roared and the boulder he struck exploded in a shower of dust and pebbles. The other two were amazed at what happened; Rukia especially. 'To take reiatsu control and create something like **that**… How strong are you really, Naruto?'

'Damn!' Ichigo thought. 'That move he pulled was insane… It completely obliterated that rock! I wonder if he'll teach me that. He did say I would be learning combat from him…'

"Damn it…" Naruto muttered. "It still needs more power and control…"

If the two were shocked before, then they were in "freak-out mode" now! If **that** demonstration was the attack not even at full strength, then what the fuck would happen if it hit at **full** strength?

Rukia shook herself from her shock and called out, "Naruto, it's your turn to help Ichigo!"

Naruto turned and saw Ichigo's face still in shock. He tried to hold it in, but he couldn't stop himself from laughing loudly. The kid's expression was priceless! "I take it you two saw my technique?" he asked. The two nodded and he laughed again. "Well, I might be inclined to teach it to you someday; if I feel like it, that is. Anyway, let's get to training!"

Rukia went off to the side to observe while Ichigo approached Naruto. "So, what are going to start with, Naruto?"

Naruto grinned and Ichigo felt a shiver go down his spine. "Simple; we're going to spar and I want you to get a clean cut on me."

"What?" Ichigo cried out.

"Yep, and it can be anywhere. It just has to be a clean cut. Now, get that overgrown toothpick of yours ready, Kurosaki, and come at me!"

Ichigo unsheathed his sword while Naruto pulled out his father's sword. Ichigo then charged Naruto, who was standing in no stance with his sword lazily at his side. The next thing Ichigo knew, his sword was flying out of his grip and Naruto was paused in an upward swinging stance. His eyes were closed and Ichigo saw his sword stab the ground next to Rukia who jumped a little at the impact. Naruto started shaking his head as if he was disappointed.

"Never charge a stronger opponent head-on, Ichigo. It will always lead to your defeat. Now, grab your weapon and we'll try again."

The next clash lasted longer; if you call "5 seconds extra" longer. The sword didn't fly as far, but it still flew a good distance.

"You need to calm yourself, Kurosaki. If your mind is clouded, then so too is your swordplay. Try again, and this time stay relaxed. This is just a training run, not an actual battle to the death."

The third clash actually went on for a little longer. Ichigo attacked while Naruto blocked and pointed out openings in his form. Naruto decided to try and have Ichigo attack like Zabuza had once attacked since his sword was like Zabuza's zanbato. The style revolved around using the sword as a way to increase momentum in attacks and letting the momentum increase the speed and power behind attacks.

Ichigo was taking to the style fairly well and got a basic form with it over the remainder of the weekend. The boys also learned the basics of Kido from Rukia over their 2-day break from school. Ichigo was leaning more towards Hado while Naruto leaned more towards Bakudo and Healing Kido. Throughout the weekend, the trio also went after Hollows but seemed to be going on wild goose chases. The Hollows would appear on Rukia's Soul Pager, but would disappear a few minutes later. This confused, irritated, and worried the three of them.

Monday at School

It was a normal day at school for the students. The only thing was that Naruto seemed more upbeat. He made cracks at Keigo, tried some of Orihime's cooking and **lived**, got Chad to speak more than he normally did, and got into another spar/training session with Tatsuki. Rukia knew why this was happening since she talked with Naruto the week before. She knew he was trying to move on and, by the look of things, he seemed to be doing just fine. Ichigo was surprised but then just chalked it off as Naruto opening up more. Keigo was scared at Naruto's seemingly 180 attitude change. Mizuiro wasn't worried and neither was Chad. Orihime was happy to have a new friend who enjoyed her cooking and Tatsuki was glad to have someone who shared her love for fighting and learned from Naruto with obvious enthusiasm.

Naruto was indeed trying to move on. He noticed that he was actually having fun with the gang and was happy that they were helping him; even if they didn't know it. However, throughout the day he noticed the gang, or more specifically the golden trio, being watched by some smug looking teen with black hair and glasses. If he remembered right, the teen was named Uryuu Ishida. He locked eyes with him a few times and after about the fifth time, he mouthed out to him, "Meet us after school." Uryuu nodded in confirmation and Naruto relaxed somewhat after that. Any problems Uryuu had would hopefully be resolved after their little talk.

After School

Naruto was leading the other two to the school entrance and was waiting for Uryuu to show up. He explained to them that he had been watching them and he told them that he wanted to set him straight.

"Uzumaki-san, I have arrived, "came the voice of Uryuu.

"So you have…" Naruto then narrowed his eyes at the spectacled teen and asked, "Why have you been spying on us, Ishida-san?"

Uryuu fixed his glasses and replied, "Merely observing my enemies, Uzumaki-san."

"Enemies?" Ichigo asked in confusion. "What do you mean enemies?"

"The Shinigami… and the Hollows are my enemies."

Rukia then said, "I can understand the Hollows but why the Shinigami?"

"The Shinigami are the enemy of the Quincy, so that makes them my enemies as well."

"So, just because we are Shinigami, you automatically hate us?" Naruto asked in anger. Then he mumbled, "Tch, you're no different than the villagers of Konoha before I proved them wrong…"

Ichigo and Rukia heard him and felt for the red-blonde. To hate someone or something just because you were taught to is just wrong and inexcusable.

"You intrigue me though, Uzumaki-san."

"Oh yeah? How so?"

"You carry both Shinigami **and** Hollow reiatsu within you, "answered the Quincy.

The trio stiffened at that. Naruto had told them of Kurama and how his reiatsu would be seen as dark like a Hollow's would be. Naruto glared at Uryuu and said, "What do you really want, Ishida-san?"

"I want to prove that the Shinigami are nothing compared to the Quincy. And I'll do whatever it takes to do so."

'He reminds me of Sasuke and the Hyuuga clan. Damn, I didn't think that there would be anyone with sticks up their asses like they had…' Naruto thought. He then asked, "And how do you want to do that?"

Uryuu then held up a container of sorts and said, "With this; Hollow bait. When I release this, Hollows will be rushing over here and when they do, we'll see who is more fit to reign supreme: the Shinigami or the Quincy."

He then released the bait into the sky and suddenly they all felt the presence of several Hollows. Uryuu then made what appeared to be a bow made of reiatsu and fired some spiritual arrows, killing two Hollows instantly.

"That's two…"

The guys transformed into their Shinigami states and rushed at the Hollows while Rukia watched the contest. 'Be careful, guys, 'she thought.

(Orihime and Chad's encounters with the Hollows are canon)

It had been a couple hours and all three of the competitors were getting tired. Uryuu, due to overuse of his bow, was bleeding from his hand. Ichigo was out of breath from swinging his heavy blade and Naruto was slightly winded.

"You know, "his dad began, "This reminds me of the 3rd Shinobi War… The amount of Hollows reminds me of the amount of Iwa nin from back in the day…"

'And how did you defeat them?' Naruto asked.

"Simple: I used my most prized jutsu…"

Naruto then received a rush of reiatsu from his father's sword. 'Tou-san, what is your shikai name?'

"Huh? Oh, it's… Hiraishin, just like the jutsu I used to end the war."

'Tou-san… I heard you… I heard you!' Naruto mentally cheered. He then focused on his father's blade and said, "Streak, Hiraishin!"

The katana in Naruto's hand glowed and released a flash of light and when the light died down, it became an exact replica of one of his father's Hiraishin kunai. Naruto had changed as well. His hair was straight blonde, his eyes were a deeper shade of blue, and his trench coat changed into the same design as his father's old cloak, except the kanji said "Child of Prophecy" except for "Yondaime Hokage".

"Tou-san, "he began out loud, "I forgive you, and I thank you."

He then charged at the Hollows and was obliterating them left and right. To the others he was nothing but a streak of yellow and they were in awe at his newfound speed.

Ichigo, seeing Naruto's new shikai, got his second wind and began rushing the Hollows alongside him. Uryuu was amazed at their perseverance. He then started to take down more Hollows so as not to be seen as the weakest of the three.

Then, the sky began to split and a dark void appeared. Through the void, Rukia was shocked to see a Menos Grande staring them down. "Guys!" she yelled out. "That's a Menos! You have to stop it before it destroys the city!"

"Got it!" yelled Ichigo. Naruto merely nodded and Uryuu didn't respond.

"Naruto-kun, you're gonna need me released alongside your father." Naruto nodded, but before he began the command, she interrupted with, "As soon as I'm released, fuse your father and me together."

'How do I do that?' he asked.

"You'll know, son, "his father assured him.

Naruto nodded and pulled out his mother's sword and said, "Whirl about, Uzuhime!"

When Uzuhime appeared, Naruto's features returned to normal, except for the coat. He then got a rush of information and slammed his weapons together, yelling out, "Zanpakuto Conjunction!"

In a flash of light, the two weapons became one. They had become a double-bladed weapon with the katana edge of Uzuhime on one end and the kunai edge of Hiraishin on the other end.

While Naruto prepared himself, Ichigo was contacted by his Zanpakuto spirit again. "We must work together Ichigo; I giving you strength and you doing the same to me. That is how Zanpakuto connect with their wielders, through a combination of spirit and strength. Do you understand?"

'Yeah, I do, 'Ichigo replied mentally. 'I'll give you my strength and let you do what you wish with it, partner.'

The spirit chuckled and said, "Alright then Ichigo, listen to my name for it is…"

Ichigo then cried out, "Shine alongside the moon, Zangetsu!"

Ichigo's sword was engulfed in a flash of light and from the light came Ichigo holding a crescent shaped cleaver. The cleaver had a silver edge on one half, a black coloring on the other half, and a cloth covered handle with no guard. Around Ichigo's torso was a red rosary-like strap.

'This power, it feels amazing!' Ichigo thought in excitement.

"Don't let the power rush get to your head, Ichigo. We have to take down that Menos class Hollow!"

'Right!'

Once the guys were ready, they charge at the Menos, slashing at its body repeatedly. Naruto then focuses reiatsu into his weapon and releases it while swinging at the Hollow. From it, chains made from reiatsu appear and wrap around the Menos, holding it in place.

"Ichigo, attack while it's held down! And hurry, I can't hold these chains for too long!"

Ichigo complies and goes all out on the Menos and Uryuu, much to the surprise of the Shinigami, assisted with ranged support. After a little bit, the chains broke and Naruto cursed and flashed right next to Ichigo.

"What now?" Ichigo asks.

"I don't know…"

"Naruto, use the _Rasengan_!" yelled his father. "Charge it through the sword and release it during mid-swing!"

Naruto listens to his father and charges the katana side of his weapon with spiraling reiatsu. He then swings his weapon and releases the energy, and from the swing, a spiraling, orange colored wave of reiatsu rockets toward the Menos. When the attack hit, the Menos roared in pain and Ichigo, at the command of Zangetsu, releases his own energy attack and causes more damage to the Hollow. Finally, Uryuu pours all the energy he can into one last shot and fires the arrow at the Menos pushing it back further. The Hollow, being in too much pain, retreats back into the void which closes after he enters through it.

"They did it…" Rukia whispered.

"Yes, they really did, "came the voice of Urahara as he walked up to her and stood beside her. "It seems as if those two have really come along as Shinigami. To release their shikai so early is only a testament to their growth."

Rukia could only nod in agreement. She was amazed and proud of their growth in ability. However, she knew that news of the Menos and its defeat would reach the Seireitei soon. She also knew that once it did, they would send some Shinigami to search and retrieve her. She became depressed at this and could only smile sadly at the sight of a cheering Ichigo and smirking Naruto. A tear escaped her eye and she quickly wiped it away before the guys would see. 'It won't be long now… They'll someone soon and my crimes will be paid for. But, those two made it fun while it lasted. Ichigo… Naruto… I'm sorry to say that my time here is soon to be over, 'Rukia thought sadly.

Naruto saw her somber expression and became worried. 'Something's wrong… And Rukia knows it. What's going on, Rukia? Why do I suddenly feel as if I'm about to lose another friend?'

Naruto had no clue how right his feelings of worry were.

(End)

Well, that's it! Naruto has awakened his father's shikai and Ichigo has awakened his, as well. However, Rukia knows that the Soul Society will come and get her soon and Naruto is suspicious of Rukia's depressed mood. What will happen to Rukia? And what will the guys do to stop it? Stay tuned to find out. Also, please R&R!

Next week: The guys try to prevent Rukia from being taken, Ichigo comes to terms with certain feelings, and Naruto gets his first taste at Kurama's new influence over his soul.

Until next time, this is pain17ification, over and out! Later!


	7. Chapter 7: Capture

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Rukia accepts her arrest and return to the Seireitei and the guys try to stop the two Shinigami who come to apprehend her.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

Author Note: Okay, I realized that I wasn't very specific on the abilities of Naruto's Zanpakuto. So, allow me to correct my mistake and give you their basic abilities.

**Uzuhime**: A basic looking katana with a guard in the design of the Uzumaki Swirl and a red-clothed handle. This Zanpakuto has the spirit of Kushina Uzumaki, so it has her abilities and techniques. That means that it has chakra chains (only their reiatsu powered), Suiton techniques, and gives Naruto a higher amount of stamina (due to Kushina's Uzumaki longevity mixing with Naruto's). It is a Kido type Zanpakuto. (Command is "Whirl about".)

**Hiraishin**: The sword takes the form of one of Minato's three-pronged kunai; right down to the fuinjutsu array on the handle. The Zanpakuto gives Naruto Minato's abilities and techniques. This means the _Rasengan_, heightened battle instincts, and a bastardized version of the _Hiraishin_ technique. What this means is that it is only a _Shunpo_ with twice the speed and it leaves a yellow "flash" as an "afterimage" of sorts. Naruto can also pull off a _Hiraishin Level 2_ (teleporting an attack to somewhere else), but only when the attack is weaker in strength than himself. It is a Melee type Zanpakuto. (Command is "Streak".)

**Fused**: The weapons will take on a double-bladed sword/knife combination. On one end, there is the katana edge of Uzuhime. On the other end, there is the kunai edge of Hiraishin. This gives Naruto a mix of his parents' abilities and allows him to use and mix their attacks together against his foes. Only when his Zanpakuto are fused will he: 1) Be able to ascend to bankai, 2) Be allowed to have his parents control his body when he is unable to, & 3) Be able to use Kyubi's weaker powers at will. (Command is "Zanpakuto Conjunction".)

I've also received a few complaints about Ichigo's Zanpakuto release command. So, for future chapters, it will not be "Shine alongside the moon", it will be "Split the heavens asunder".

I hope that clears up any confusion or complaints on those areas of the story. Thank you and I'm sorry.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 7: Capture

The rest of the week flew by much too quickly for Rukia. She knew that the Soul Society would send people after her for being away too long. They would also send people to investigate the appearance of the Menos Grande the other day. She just hoped that her friends wouldn't do anything stupid when they came for her.

Ichigo had noticed that Rukia seemed very distracted over the week. She wasn't really the same midget he grew to like being around. She was distant, unfocused, and she seemed to be depressed. 'What's wrong with you, Rukia?' he thought.

Naruto also noticed Rukia's mood change. He talked to Urahara and Yoruichi about it, and they told him that Rukia would most likely disappear soon. This shocked Naruto and he promised that he wouldn't let anyone take away his friend. 'No matter what happens, Rukia, we're friends; and friends don't let each other down.'

Later that night

Ichigo had just returned home from Chad's house. He was helping the gentle giant around his home and he also found out about Chad's new power. He was shocked but was also glad that Chad now had the power to defend himself.

When he reached his bedroom, he saw no Rukia; only a note on the desk. Problem was, the note was gibberish and it had a crude drawing of "Chappy the Rabbit" in the corner with the word "hint" next to it. It took a few minutes, but he figured out that the message had way too many "R's" in it.

When he removed the R's that didn't fit with the note, it read, "Ichigo, it appears as if I can no longer stay here in the World of the Living. Circumstances have risen to the point that I will be taken away back to the Soul Society. Please, don't come for me; I've already accepted my fate. Your friend, Rukia."

He dropped the note in shock. Rukia, the Shinigami girl who changed his life, befriended him, and taught him what he knew was about to be taken. He cursed out loud and rushed towards the Urahara Shop since he had no way of releasing his Shinigami form. 'Please, let me make it in time.'

With Naruto at the Shop

Naruto was reading his old sensei's book while absently petting Yoruichi in her cat form. Urahara was having tea with Tessai and the kids were merely sitting in silence. Naruto suddenly stopped petting the werecat and she asked, "Is everything alright, Naruto?"

He looked toward the door and scowled. "Ichigo's on his way here. He seems to be in a rush… The reason why, though, I have no clue."

Urahara suddenly got out his cane and pushed Naruto's Shinigami form out of his gigai. When he saw Naruto's questioning look he said, "They're here; the Shinigami are here for Rukia."

As soon as he finished, Ichigo entered the shop and yelled out, "Naruto, Rukia's about to be taken away!"

Naruto cursed, snatched Kisuke's cane, and pushed out Ichigo's Shinigami form. "C'mon, we gotta hurry!"

Ichigo nodded and the two rushed to stop Rukia from leaving. They wouldn't let her down.

With Rukia

Rukia was running in the rain, trying to get away from the main part of town and head to the park. She had just turned the corner to enter the park when she saw it; the doors of a Soul Society senkaimon (Spirit Gate). What shocked her more than the gate were the two who stepped out.

One was a man with red hair tied in an upward ponytail, tattoo markings over his eyebrows, a white cloth headband, and a Lieutenant's Badge tied around his left bicep. He was Renji Abarai, the Lieutenant of Squad 6.

The other was a man with black hair that had a white headpiece in it, a white scarf around his neck, and a white cloak with the symbol for Squad 6 over his shihakusho. He was Byakuya Kuchiki, the Taicho of Squad 6.

"Well, look at this. We already found you, Rukia…" Renji said.

With the guys

Naruto and Ichigo were speeding towards the two new reiatsu sources that appeared. They figured that Rukia was with them since the two new sources had not moved from their positions yet.

"We have to hurry! Rukia could already about to be taken away by now!" Ichigo yelled.

"Ichigo, we have to keep our anger in check! If we rush in without even assessing the situation, we might just rush to our deaths."

Ichigo tried to calm down and was somewhat successful, but he still had a good deal of anger welling up inside of him. Naruto saw this and just hoped that Ichigo would keep his anger intact when they reached their friend.

With Rukia

Rukia was about to accept her capture before she felt two high level reiatsu sources. She knew who they were and she couldn't help but smile sadly. 'Idiots… I knew they'd come, but I wished that they didn't. But, I guess friends really can't stand to see another friend in trouble.'

Byakuya and Renji also felt the sources and were slightly surprised at their levels. The both were at least 3rd seat and they seemed to slowly increase the closer they got to their position.

"Renji, "came the monotone voice of Byakuya, "get ready."

"Yes, sir."

Naruto and Ichigo then touched down from their latest jump and stared down the two seated Shinigami. Naruto was reeling in his anger while Ichigo was having trouble doing so.

"Evening, gentlemen. I believe that the young woman that you are about to apprehend is our friend. So, if you would please let her go, we won't have any trouble, "Naruto said, trying to be civil.

Byakuya replied, "I'm afraid that we cannot do that. She is charged with treason by giving her powers to a human and she must be punished."

Naruto lowered his head and his bangs shadowed his eyes. "I see… Then I hope that there are no hard feelings since we will now use force." He then pulled out his Hiraishin while Ichigo took out Zangetsu.

Ichigo cried out, "Split the heavens asunder, Zangetsu!" His sword changed into his crescent shaped cleaver and his torso gained the rosary like strap.

Naruto calmly said, "Streak, Hiraishin." His sword became a three pronged kunai with a fuinjutsu array on the handle. His hair turned straight blonde and his coat changed to a cloak like his father's that said "Child of Prophecy".

Renji responded by pulling out his own Zanpakuto and calling out, "Roar, Zabimaru!" His sword became a segmented blade with 2 pick-like blades at the top of each segment. "Bring it on! You two are no match for a lieutenant."

Naruto scoffed and said, "And you are far too arrogant. **I'm** not fighting you; Ichigo is. I'm going to fight your Taicho."

Byakuya merely raised an eyebrow at that. He then saw Naruto disappear in a flash of yellow and he felt the tip of his kunai on the back of his neck. Renji looked around for the blonde and saw him behind Byakuya, poised to strike if necessary. Rukia, even though she'd already seen Naruto's speed with Hiraishin during the competition with Uryuu, was still shocked at what her friend pulled off. Ichigo just used the distraction to begin his fight with Renji.

Naruto placed his left hand on Byakuya's shoulder and said, "Let's take our fight elsewhere." The two disappeared in another flash of yellow.

Naruto vs. Byakuya

The two appeared about half a mile into the park and jumped away from each other. Byakuya was impressed with Naruto's skill. Not many people were able to pull one over on him, but this boy was able to easily.

"Tell me, "he began, "Who are you?"

"No one special, really. I'm just a friend of Rukia's, but you can call me Naruto Namikaze."

"I am the Captain of Squad 6, Byakuya Kuchiki."

Naruto nodded and charged at Byakuya. Byakuya pulled out his sword and was parrying Naruto's strikes with some difficulty. It seemed as if the kunai had really brought out the best of Naruto's battle skills. He seemed like he had used that weapon all his life. Naruto then flashed behind him again, but the Kuchiki Head was able to dodge with a well-timed _Shunpo_.

"Impressive speed, Kuchiki-san. You're almost as fast as Yoruichi-neechan."

"You know Yoruichi Shihoin?" Byakuya asked.

"Yes, I do. She's a good friend and is like an older sister to me. We've sparred a few times in taijutsu, and I have to say that she truly lives up to her moniker: 'The Goddess of Flash'."

Byakuya merely nodded in agreement and charged at the blonde Shinigami again.

Ichigo vs. Renji

Ichigo was clashing swords with Renji and they seemed to be somewhat even. Ichigo had found out the hard way, however, that Renji's Zanpakuto could split into a segmented whip for distance attacks. He took a good amount of damage to his right shoulder figuring that out. Ichigo then fought more carefully and was able to fight on par with the Squad 6 Lt.

Renji was impressed with Ichigo's skills. To think that a mere human turned Shinigami could pull off the skills necessary to fight evenly with him; it was deserving of acknowledgement. Renji launched his cable-whip sword at his opponent and Ichigo used the flat side of Zangetsu to block the attack. Ichigo then charged his reiatsu into his sword and released it with a swing. The blade fired off a crescent shaped energy wave of blue reiatsu towards Renji who jumped out of the way. The two charged at each other once more and were locked together, blades sparking with the slightest twitch.

Rukia was surprised at the amount of effort her friends were putting into making sure she was safe. She felt her heart warming up at their determination but she had already accepted her fate. She would have to make them see that she does not want them to risk their lives just for her.

Back with the other two

Byakuya was more of an opponent than Naruto originally thought. He had already released Uzuhime and fused his Zanpakuto together, much to the surprise of the Kuchiki Head. Naruto was about to launch his _Reiatsu Chains_ but Byakuya stopped him by pointing his finger at him and saying, "_Hado #61: Six Bars of Light_." Naruto was then pinned by six reiatsu empowered beams of light and he couldn't move. He saw Byakuya _Shunpo_ behind him and he felt a deep cut on his torso and back. As his blood spewed, he couldn't help but think that he was not supposed to go down. He had to save Rukia.

He then heard a voice that he had not heard in years say, **"Damn, Kit, I didn't think you were **_**this**_** pathetic…"**

Suddenly, Naruto felt a darker and denser reiatsu surge through his body and, in a flash of crimson, he had broken through the Kido. However, he had changed. His whisker marks became thicker and jagged, his nails grew into wicked claws, and his eyes had black sclera, red irises, and black slitted pupils. He seemed to have aged again as well; by about 6yrs, making him appear as if he were 21yrs old.

He then stood up and turned to Byakuya, who flinched slightly at the sight of his new features, and said in his own voice mixed with a darker one, **"I hope you're prepared, Shinigami. Because I'm in control now!"**

With the other three

The others felt the sudden increase in reiatsu and headed over there. They saw an older looking Naruto attacking Byakuya relentlessly with his sword and claws. Byakuya was barely blocking the strikes and he was able to hit Naruto a few times but the wounds instantly healed by the crimson reiatsu. Naruto had a sick gleam in his eyes and was grinning psychotically, showing his elongated fangs.

"**What's the matter, Shinigami? Am I too much for you?"** asked the possessed red-blonde.

Byakuya couldn't answer since he was too focused on trying to block Naruto's strikes. Renji decided to but in and launched Zabimaru at Naruto. Naruto merely caught it with his left hand while his right held the sword that was locked with Byakuya's.

"**Nice try, fool. But not nice enough!"**

He jerked the whip, pulling Renji towards him, and kicked him in the gut. Renji flew back and crashed into Ichigo. Rukia watched in fear and tried to calm down Naruto.

"Naruto, this isn't you! It's the Kyubi; he's possessing you! You have to fight it!"

Naruto merely grinned at Rukia and said, **"So, the Kit told you about me, did he? You're correct, girl, I am the Kyubi no Kitsune, Kurama. And right now, my vessel wishes for your safety, so please don't get in the way or else I may make him go against his wishes."**

Suddenly, he saw a bunch of cherry blossoms floating around him and he heard Byakuya say, "Scatter, Senbonzakura."

The blossoms were actually small, countless blades that tore into Naruto and left him a bloody mess. Kurama was forced to forget about fighting and focus on making sure his vessel survived. The reason? If Naruto dies, then so does Kurama.

Byakuya then appeared next to Rukia via _Shunpo_, and he was soon joined by a badly wounded Renji. Ichigo was on the ground like Naruto and was desperately trying to stand up, but his body was too weak. Byakuya ordered Renji to open the senkaimon and they entered it to return to the Seireitei. Before Rukia stepped in, she looked to both of her friends and whispered out, "I'm sorry; I'm so sorry." They saw she had tears in her eyes and she soon disappeared behind the senkaimon.

Ichigo was shocked. They failed; both he and Naruto had failed! They couldn't save Rukia, and now she was out of their reach. He started pounding the ground in rage and grief, tears leaking from his eyes.

Naruto was no better. He was cursing Kurama for possessing his body and weakening him to the point where he couldn't even attempt to stand. He had a lone tear leak from his eye and he kept on repeating the same mantra in his head: 'I failed…'

While the boys were beating themselves up over their failure, Urahara and Yoruichi arrived to take them to the Urahara Shop. Kisuke took Ichigo while Yoruichi took Naruto. Yoruichi saw the pain in both of their eyes and said to them both, "We'll get her back, you two. I promise."

Ichigo muttered thanks while Naruto thought, 'Promise? I failed my promise to my friends. How can I keep any future ones when I can't even fulfill the first one I've made here?'

Yoruichi felt her little brother figure's despair and whispered to him, "Next time you two won't be alone, otouto. I'm going with you."

Naruto turned to her and saw that her eyes were filled with determination and understanding. He gave her a small smile and said, "We'll get her back next time."

Urahara heard the determination in Naruto's voice and saw that Ichigo was equally determined. He smiled to himself and thought, 'These two will go far. I'm sure of it. I guess I'll help them reach their goals and train them to be strong enough to save Rukia. This will be fun!'

Naruto and Ichigo mentally said to their respective Zanpakuto, 'We're gonna have to get stronger, otherwise Rukia's as good as gone forever.'

The Zanpakuto Spirits all agreed and Kushina said to Naruto, "We're with you every step of the way, Naruto-kun."

Naruto gave her a mental nod in thanks and then he heard Kurama say, **"Whether we go or not, I just want to have more fights! Even back home, the only interesting fights we've had were during the war. And by the way, Kit, don't think that my power will be so easy to control this time. I'll back off while you go and save your friend, but after she's safe, I'll be back."** After he said his piece, he went back into the recesses of Naruto's mind.

Naruto and Ichigo then thought together, 'We'll get you back Rukia; that's a promise!'

(End)

And that is the end of chapter 7! I hope that I did okay with this chapter. If you guys have any comments, don't be afraid to PM me about them. Even if you have problems, you can tell me and I will see what I can do about them. I won't be mad if your comments are negative. That's what he readers are for; to tell the writers what is wrong with their work. Thank you all, and don't forget to R&R!

Next week: Ichigo trains with Urahara to get stronger while Naruto goes to train with a specific group of people. Who are these people? How strong will they be when they head to Soul Society? What will they learn and accomplish? You'll have to find out next week, so stay tuned!

This is pain17ification! See you all later!


	8. Chapter 8: Preparations

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, the guys have one week before they head off to the Seireitei to save Rukia.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 8: Preparations

It was the morning after Rukia was taken and Ichigo was still in pain from his fight while Naruto was fully healed. Ichigo noticed that Urahara was talking to his friend and gave him a slip of paper with what looked like an address written on it. He also noticed a black cat on his shoulder; and it was talking to him. He was confused at what was going on, so he got up and went to ask.

About 10 minutes earlier

Naruto had been up before anyone along with Yoruichi, who was resting in his lap being stroked by the red-blonde. Urahara had gotten up just a bit ago and was talking with the now 21yr old looking man.

"You know that you have to get this darker power of yours under control, right?"

Naruto sighed and said, "I know that already. The problem is that I have no clue how without risking the city in the process. The first time I fought Kurama for control of his power, we were in a special chamber that kept us from the outside world." The two older Shinigami shared a look that wasn't missed by Naruto. "Is there somewhere like that here?"

Urahara said, "Not here specifically, but I do know some people who could help you."

Yoruichi added, "They have a similar problem like you. Only they have Inner Hollows; not an actual demon."

Naruto sighed again and asked, "So who are these people exactly?" Instead of a verbal response, Urahara wrote down an address on a slip of paper and handed it to Naruto. Naruto looked at the address and asked, "So they're here in the city?"

"Yes they are, but they won't help you right away. You're gonna have to convince them, "the shopkeeper said.

Naruto nodded and stood up to leave. Yoruichi jumped onto his shoulder and said, "I'll go with you. It's too boring here."

Naruto chuckled at that and was about to leave when Ichigo woke up. "What's going on?" the teen asked.

"I'm going to see some people who could help me deal with Kurama. You on the other hand are going to stay here and have Urahara train you. He's a Shinigami like us, so he'll know how to help you best." Urahara sputtered out some refusals, but they were shot down by dual glares from Naruto and Yoruichi, so he merely dropped his head in defeat.

Ichigo nodded and said, "Alright, I'll learn from Mr. Hat and Clogs here. Who are you going to?"

Naruto shrugged. "No idea; all I got was this address from Kisuke. I'm heading there now, so I'll see you when I can." Naruto then left with Yoruichi to find this group of people Urahara told him about.

Ichigo was about to ask the blonde shopkeeper what they would go over before he was dragged by Tessai to the underground training room. Once there, Urahara wasted no time explaining that they had time before Rukia's punishment date. He did tell Ichigo that, since it was viewed as treason, that the punishment would no doubt be execution via the Sokyoku, the device mainly used to deal with "traitors" to the Soul Society.

Ichigo took all of this in and was more determined to save Rukia from execution. Then Urahara dropped another bomb.

"We also have to cut your Shinigami powers from you."

"What?" yelled out Ichigo.

"Rukia's transfer of reiatsu didn't give you your powers, Ichigo; it merely jumpstarted your own. However, the bulk of your reiatsu is still the same as Rukia's, which is hindering more than helping you. We need to cut off your powers, or more specifically Rukia's, and reawaken them without any outside reiatsu sources mixing in."

He then pulled out his sword and disappeared from Ichigo's view. The next thing he knew, he felt separated from his body but his soul form felt different. He felt weaker for some reason. He then looked at himself and saw that he was dressed in his street clothes, even though he was separated from his body. Suddenly, Tessai appeared and sliced his soul chain with a large axe, causing Ichigo to feel even weaker. A hole appeared beneath the two of them and they fell about 20 feet. Once they landed, Tessai used a Kido to lock Ichigo's arms and he sat in a cross-legged position.

"Now then, Ichigo, you are to try and get out of that hole before your Chain of Fate fully corrodes away. If you don't, you'll become a Hollow, leaving us no choice but to destroy you. In order to get out, you'll need to regain your powers." Ichigo was shocked into silence and Kisuke said, "Alrighty then, let's begin."

With Naruto and Yoruichi

Naruto was being led through the city by his werecat companion. Due to her inconspicuous feline form, she was able to move through and memorize the city's layout without any problems. Naruto was curious about a few things.

First, he was wondering just who exactly these people who could help him were. How did they gain Inner Hollows? Why did they stay in the city? Whose side are they on?

The next thing he was curious about was how Urahara and Yoruichi were so familiar with them. Did they work together before? Were they merely acquaintances? How well did they really know one another?

The last thing was…

"Hey neechan, you think I could change my form into an animal like you can?"

Yoruichi sweat-dropped at her brother figure's question and asked, "What brought this on?"

He shrugged and said, "Just wondering. It looks like an interesting ability to have and it would really help me with stealth."

The werecat smirked and said, "Maybe there is; maybe not. You'll have to make me a deal to find out."

"Oh yea, and what kind of deal did you have in mind?"

Yoruichi's smirk grew into a grin and she said, "You have to let me read one of those books you're always reading."

Naruto sweat-dropped at her deal and asked, "Seriously? That's it? I mean, yea I'll let you, but I only have one book on me. The rest are at the shop." He then pulled out _Tale of the Gutsy Ninja_ and showed it to her. "This is the only book I have. It was my godfather's first novel that never made much money. It was most likely because he tried selling it during a war."

Yoruichi read the title and said, "It looks interesting, but I'll read it later."

"So…?"

"Hmm? Oh, right. Well, yes there is a way to transform like I can, but it takes lots of practice. I'll teach you some other time."

Naruto smirked and said, "Thanks, neechan."

She nodded and noticed that Naruto stopped in front of a large building that looked like a warehouse. The building had the address that Urahara had written down, as well as a Kido-powered barrier surrounding it.

"Well, here we are!" she happily proclaimed while Naruto sighed at her antics.

'Something tells me I'm in for a long day, 'he thought.

Back with Ichigo (a couple hours since chain was cut)

Ichigo was seriously thinking of strangling Kisuke and Naruto. He wanted to hurt Kisuke for his ridiculous methods and Naruto for allowing it to happen.

'When I find a way out of this damn hole, they're both dead!' he raged in his mind.

Jinta saw his frustration and decided to spit on him; he even got Ururu to join in. Kisuke was chuckling at their antics and laughed out loud when he heard one of the shots hit Ichigo.

"Damn it, Hat and Clogs! How the hell do I get out of here?"

Kisuke looked down to see Ichigo's fuming face. He smirked and said, "Simple: become a Shinigami again."

He then turned away from the hole and heard Ichigo scream in frustration. He snickered and thought, 'I guess teaching isn't so bad after all.'

Ichigo was becoming more and more frustrated. He couldn't move his arms and his chain was only to about 3 and ½ feet in length. He tried to calm himself by searching for his reiatsu like when he did with Rukia. Thinking of her got his spirits down, but he wouldn't give up. She was a precious person to him and he wouldn't fail her again.

'I **will** get through this!' he thought in determination.

Back with the other two

Naruto was trying to figure out how to get through the barrier. He knew that he wouldn't be able to just walk through it, so he had to resort to disrupting it or breaking it. He saw Yoruichi was waiting for him, so he figured that she was not to give him any tips. With a defeated sigh, he decided to resort to breaking it. Luckily, he had left the shop in his soul form, or else he wouldn't have had a chance.

Pumping reiatsu into both of his fists, he rushed the barrier and began pounding away at it. Unknown to him, the residents of the warehouse were watching his every move.

Inside

Everyone in the building was observing the red-blonde bash away at the barrier set up by one of their own. There were a total of eight people residing in the building.

The first was a blond male who had his hair cut straight. He wore a long sleeved, orange shirt with a black tie, black pants and shoes, and a newsboy cap.

The second was a blonde girl with pigtails. She wore a red jogging suit over a white shirt, brown sandals, and had a fang-like tooth constantly jutting out of her mouth.

The third was a brunette male with hair spiked like a 5-pointed star, a green jogging suit, and mirrored sunglasses. He was reading a manga while observing Naruto.

Next to him was a man with long, blonde hair who wore a black suit with a thigh length black jacket and a white frilled shirt with frilled cuffs and high collar. He was reading manga like the previous man.

Next was a very large man with short, pink hair and mustache. He wore a green tux, white shirt, and a yellow bowtie. His hair also had a cross bone design in the center.

Sixth was a brunette woman who had her hair put into a braided ponytail and wore glasses. She wore a long sleeved "sailor" uniform, with a teal collar and matching pleated miniskirt that ends at her stomach, and was completed with a pink neckerchief. She had in her hands an adult magazine.

Next was a silver haired man who wore a dark purple tank top with a white trim, green cargo pants, and black combat boots. He had a few piercings around his eyebrows as well.

The last member was a green haired woman who seemed to be seriously annoying the silver haired member. She wore a white bodysuit with orange gloves, boots and scarf, along with a set of goggles on her head.

These people referred to themselves as the Vizards, Shinigami who have Inner Hollows to draw extra power from. They noticed that Naruto was putting cracks in the barrier with his constants strikes against it.

"Hachi, how much longer before the barrier falls?" asked the newsboy blonde.

"About 2 minutes tops, "the pink haired man replied.

"He seems to have an incredible drive, "commented the frilly blonde.

"Yea, he does. He reminds me of a comic character I read somewhere before, "stated the star-headed male.

"Pft, whatever. He doesn't look like much, "commented the pigtailed blonde.

"I wouldn't put him off so easy, Hiyori. He could have used his swords, but he's using his hands instead. He might be stronger than you think, "said the silver haired man.

"Yea Hiyori, Kensei is right! I mean look, he isn't even winded, "stated the green haired woman excitedly.

"Calm down, Mashiro, "Kensei chided.

Mashiro then started to have a mini tantrum about how "mean" Kensei was.

"I'm just curious about why Yoruichi's with him, "the sailor girl said.

The newsboy blonde then noticed that the barrier had fallen and Naruto was about to head inside. "We'll find out real soon, Lisa."

Back with Ichigo (about 4 hours since chain was cut)

Ichigo was losing strength. His Chain of Fate was down to only about a foot left and he knew that it would be over soon. He thought about his parents and siblings, his friends at school, Naruto, and Rukia. He was about to lose them all.

"This is the peak of your resolve? I expected better, Ichigo," came a voice from behind Ichigo.

Ichigo's eyes refocused and he saw that he was standing on a blue skyscraper that seemed to be on its side. He looked around and saw other skyscrapers around him as well. He then looked behind him and saw his Zanpakuto spirit, Zangetsu, standing on what looked like a flag pole.

"Old man…"

Zangetsu smiled and said, "I'm glad that you're here, Ichigo. Now, you will be able to restore yourself to your old strength."

Suddenly, the center of gravity shifted and Ichigo was falling from the skyscraper into the water below. As he fell, he looked up and noticed that the buildings were breaking apart into boxes of sorts. He couldn't see Zangetsu, but he heard him speak.

"One of these boxes contains me, Ichigo. You must find and release me before all of the buildings break apart!"

Ichigo nodded to himself and tried to locate the correct box. Some boxes felt close, but so far, none felt like the right one. Suddenly, he felt the right one and rushed to it. When he opened it, he saw the handle of his old sword. He then looked around and saw that the skyscrapers were almost broken completely.

"What are you doing? Pull out my sword!"

Ichigo did so and then all went dark.

Outside his mind

While Ichigo was inside of his inner world, his body started convulsing and a white substance began leaking from his eyes, nose, and mouth. The strange substance began to form a mask on the teens face. Tessai, though reluctant to do so, stated that he was going to begin suppression tactics and started to use a 3-part Kido to end the boy before he became a Hollow. He got two of the three parts down, but when he began the third part, Ichigo broke free of the initial Kido and jumped out of the hole in an explosion of power.

When he landed outside of the hole, the kids and Urahara noticed that he was dressed in his usual shihakusho but he had a Hollow Mask on his face as well. The mask looked like a demonic-human skull with three red "claw marks" moving from the left side of the forehead towards the center of the face. Ichigo then pulled out his broken sword and smashed the mask with its pommel. The pieces fell off and faded away and Ichigo was back to normal. Urahara, however, knew better.

'So, he's gained an Inner Hollow as well. He'll need to see Shinji and the others when it becomes problematic in the future.'

Ichigo was clenching his left fist, trying to regain full movement with his body, and then he noticed Urahara open his fan with a little flair and he said, "Congratulations, you've regained your Shinigami powers!"

His fanfare was cut short by a sword pommel to the face.

Ichigo then smiled evilly at the downed shopkeeper and he said, "Yes I did, and now I'm gonna kick your ass! I made a promise to beat the living shit out of you and Naruto when I got out for putting me through that! So, prepare yourself, Hat and Clogs!"

Urahara just stared the teen down and he said in a strangely serious voice, "I see, well by all means try. You've regained your power, but not your sword. This little scuffle oughta help you do just that." He then pulled out his sword and said, "Let's begin, Ichigo."

Back with Naruto and Yoruichi

Once Naruto walked inside the warehouse, he was greeted with the sight of the Vizards waiting patiently for him. Yoruichi nodded her head in greeting and they all returned the courtesy. Then Shinji stepped forward to speak first.

"So, you're the guy Kisuke told us about?"

Naruto nodded and said, "And you must be the people that are supposed to help me. I appreciate it."

Hiyori smirked and said, "Hold on there, pal. It's not just a 'walk in and start' process. We gotta test you first."

Naruto raised an eyebrow and asked, "Is that so? Then, by all means, test me."

Hiyori's smirk grew wider and she charged saying, "I was hoping you'd say that!"

She was about to slice his chest, but Naruto sidestepped and pulled out his father's sword. He and Hiyori met in a clash of blades, sparks flying with each strike.

"Hachi."

"Yes, Shinji?"

"Put up a barrier around them; class 2 in strength."

Hachi nodded and got to work. With a simple incantation, a Kido barrier appeared around the two fighting, but they paid it no mind. They were too engrossed with their battle. Hiyori went for a downwards strike, but Naruto batted it away and retaliated with a spin kick which was dodged with a simple _Shunpo_.

Hiyori was having fun in this fight. This guy had some real experience and was no pushover. "You're good. What's your name?"

"Naruto Namikaze and you're not too bad yourself. What's your name?"

"Hiyori Sarugaki. Shall we start Round 2?"

He smirked and replied, "Thought you'd never ask!"

The two clashed once again. Their blows were met with parries or dodges and they were grinning the entire time. Naruto, however, didn't notice his left eye becoming infused with Kurama's influence. The others did however and they all felt the dark power of the demon. It reminded them of their Inner Hollows, but it was much darker and denser than anything they ever felt before.

'So, this guy really does have a demon within him, 'thought Shinji. He decided to intervene before Naruto lost control. He looked to Kensei, who nodded in understanding, and the two intercepted the fighters after Hachi made an opening for them. Kensei held the Jinchuriki in a full-nelson while Shinji held Hiyori by the back of her jacket. "That's enough, Hiyori. We all know his tenant's power now."

This confused Naruto, so Kensei released him and said, "Your demon was starting to pour its influence into your left eye. After that, we all felt its reiatsu and it was pretty intense."

Naruto was shocked but soon became enraged. 'Damn it, Kurama, you said that you wouldn't interfere until **after** Rukia was safe!'

Kurama shrugged and replied, **"I felt that these guys should know exactly who they're dealing with. What they felt was a mere glimpse of my power, and they should be better prepared now. Besides, you really trust the word of someone who is a **_**demon**__**ic trickster**_**? If you do, then you're stupider than I originally though, Kit."**

Naruto growled and turned to the others. "Sorry about that. I was under the impression that he wouldn't interfere until **much **later."

Shinji waved him off and said, "Think nothing of it. After seeing that, I have no doubts that Urahara was telling the truth."

Naruto nodded and Yoruichi decided to speak. "Well then, you guys will help him out right?"

The Vizards nodded and Love said, "We're gonna have our hands full, though."

Rose nodded and said, "That's true. It won't be easy."

Lisa looked up from her magazine and said, "Easy or not, the guy has potential and I hate to see people like that go to waste."

Mashiro nodded cheerfully and said, "Yea, we'll help out Whiskers!" This caused Naruto's left eye to twitch and everyone else to snicker.

Kensei said, "To be honest, all I'm interested in is fighting him in hand-to-hand. Not many people fight like that anymore; besides you of course, Yoruichi-san."

Hachigen decided to comment, "His tenant's reiatsu does seem different from our Hollow reiatsu. I'm curious about the effect it will have in the future."

"Yea, whatever. I just want to have more spars with this guy! I had fun!" Hiyori said.

Shinji nodded at his partners' comments and stated, "Well, you have our answer. We'll help you out, Naruto."

Naruto nodded in gratitude and they all introduced themselves to each other. They had a long week to prepare him for his trip to the Soul Society.

With Ichigo (after the fight with Urahara)

Ichigo was on his way home thinking about how he regained his Zanpakuto.

He was fighting Urahara, if you could call fighting a full sword with a broken one a fight and he was pushed into a corner. He was about to retreat, but then time seemed to slow to a halt and he saw Zangetsu appear before him. His sword's spirit spoke to him about fighting with his full resolve and strength before he told Ichigo to yell out his name. Once he did, he had Zangetsu's true form once again. He then reengaged the shopkeeper and managed to knock off his hat with a wave of energy from his sword.

Urahara decided to end it there and told Ichigo to return tomorrow for more training. Ichigo agreed and tried to reseal his sword, only to find that he couldn't. It confused him, but Urahara said that it was most likely due to him having too much reiatsu to control. Ichigo was about to accept that answer, but Zangetsu stated that he just liked being in his released state better than being sealed away and Ichigo agreed with him.

Ichigo was prepared for the week's worth of training. He knew that he would need it in order to save Rukia. He just hoped that it would be enough.

At the Urahara Shop (end of the week)

Ichigo was standing in front of a large, gate-like device that Urahara had made to transport them all to the Soul Society. The people who were going were Ichigo, Chad and Orihime who received training from Yoruichi after she left Naruto with the Vizards, Uryuu surprisingly, and Naruto who had a wardrobe change.

Naruto had asked Ururu to make him a specific outfit and the girl really came through for him. He now wore a black, long sleeved shirt under a blood red Jonin vest, a pair of maroon cargo pants with a weapons pouch on the left leg, black sandals, and his tan trench coat over the whole ensemble. He had his necklace still around his neck, his headband tied to his left bicep, and had both of his sword strapped to his back in an X-formation. The handle for Hiraishin was to his left and Uzuhime was to his right. He was really impressed with Ururu's work and would have to properly thank her another time.

Urahara then explained how the gate was meant to work. It was basically a modified senkaimon that would convert humans into souls when they passed through. This would allow Chad and Orihime to pass through without problems. He was about to activate it before Yoruichi stated that she was coming along with them. She perched herself on Naruto's shoulder and Kisuke activated the gate. Once it did, the group of six rushed in and began their trek to the Soul Society.

They had someone important to rescue.

(End)

And that's chapter 8 for ya! The Vizards have appeared and have helped Naruto. Let me just say right now that Naruto cannot control Kurama yet; just suppress him easier. Ichigo has also regained his Shinigami powers and the gang is on their way to save Rukia! Comments? Concerns? Please R&R!

Next week: The gang arrives in the Soul Society and must find a way to get to Rukia. Meanwhile, secret plots are happening with the Seireitei's walls. What will happen? Stay tuned to find out!

I'm pain17ification, and I'll see you guys later!


	9. Chapter 9: Arrival, Kukaku, and a Way In

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, the group enters the Soul Society for the first time, but problems impede their journey right at the start.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

AN: Sorry that it's somewhat of a late update… My COM went down earlier this week and I had to retype ALL of my chapter updates! Gomen Nasai!

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 9: Arrival, Kukaku, and a Way Inside

The first thing that the group of six noticed about their surroundings was that they were surrounded by walls that seemed to ooze with a purple sludge-like substance. The gate behind them, which they had entered through, had also disappeared.

Yoruichi, in her cat form (1) on Naruto's shoulder, took charge of the situation. "We need to move on, now! If we stay here for too long then we'll be caught by the sweeper here!"

Naruto, taking the hint, began running down the pathway followed by the other four. He had noticed his sister's anxiety of the area and didn't question her on it. Suddenly, the group heard movement behind them and saw what looked like a bullet train made of the same substance as the walls heading for them at high speeds. Naruto's eyes widened in fear and he yelled out, "Move!"

The group picked up speed and was running as fast as they could, but the sweeper was still gaining on them. It was close to Uryuu, who was at the back of the group, and caught onto the cape of his outfit. He was about to be pulled in, but Chad pulled harder and ripped the cape before he resumed running with Uryuu on his shoulder in a fireman carry. Orihime saw that they were about to be caught, so she used her Santen Keshun to create a shield-like barrier and block off the sweeper. The result was a small explosion the forced the group to fly out of the area and into the Soul Society. Their landing was too rough and they were knocked out for a bit.

Rukongai

As soon as everyone came to, Yoruichi pounced on top of Orihime's face and berated her for the reckless use of her powers. She scolded her about the fact that if any of her sprites were caught by the sweeper, then her powers would have disappeared for good.

As the poor girl was being told off by the feline, Naruto and Ichigo looked at their surroundings and saw that they were in a pretty decent looking area. Ichigo then noticed the entrance to the Seireitei and rushed to it.

"Ichigo, you fool! Stop!" yelled Yoruichi.

Ichigo was about to ask why, but the answer came from the appearance of an incredibly large gate that fell from the sky and also the arrival of a literal giant of a man. The man wore a Shinigami shihakusho, a red hat with tassels, and armor on his left arm.

"Who goes there? I am Jidanbo, the gatekeeper, and I have the duty of keeping people who don't belong out of the Seireitei."

Ichigo introduced himself and stated that he planned to get into the Seireitei to get someone out of prison. Jidanbo said that Ichigo would need to defeat him first; a challenge that Ichigo readily accepted. Chad and Orihime were about to assist him, but he assured them that he would be fine.

(Fight is canon)

As the fool fought the gatekeeper, Naruto and Yoruichi were asking around for a person named "Kukaku Shiba" who was a fireworks specialist of the Rukongai. They were getting information from an elderly soul when they heard the recently defeated Jidanbo say, "C-Captain Ichimaru! What are you doing here?"

The Shinigami named Ichimaru was a fairly tall man with silver hair, squinted eyes, and a constant grin on his face. His answer was to slice off one of the gatekeeper's arms and state, "Jidanbo, you poor fool, being a gatekeeper means that when you lose, the result is your death."

Naruto and Yoruichi noticed that the other four were about to try and face the captain and Yoruichi called out, "Don't attack! You four are no match for a Taicho of the Gotei 13!"

Ichigo was about to try anyway, but Naruto used _Shunpo_ to appear in front of him. "Ichigo, you're a lot stronger, but you're not at a Taicho's level yet."

Ichigo silently cursed and relented while Ichimaru merely let the gate fall closed once again. Before it fully shut, he waved to them and said, "Bye Bye!"

Naruto responded by giving him the bird and saying,"Fuck off…"

Once the gate closed, Orihime got to work on closing up the gatekeeper's wound while the others went back to the elderly soul who had the info on Kukaku. Chad was then approached by a child soul who revealed himself as the spirit that the Shrieker Hollow placed in that bird he tried to protect. He left the group to get reacquainted with the boy while Uryuu pulled out his spare cape and put it on. The other three sweat-dropped at that and went back to talking with the man.

They had just gotten the information they needed when a man riding a boar road in and exclaimed, "Hey old man, long time no see!"

"Ganju, what are you doing here?"

"Oh c'mon, is that any way to greet me? I thought our families were close," replied the now named Ganju.

"I have guests right now, Ganju. Maybe another time…"

"Oh yea, and who are these 'guests' of yours?" He then noticed Naruto, Ichigo, and Yoruichi's cat form. He was focused on Ichigo before he yelled out, "What the fuck is a damn Shinigami doing here?"

Ichigo responded by saying, "None of your business."

Ganju became furious at the loss of recognition and he started to proclaim many ridiculous titles for himself, ending at "Number 1 Shinigami hater of the West Rukongai". Ichigo ignored him and Ganju retaliated by punching him in the face. This led to the two of them having a scuffle in the streets while Naruto and Yoruichi thanked the elder for the information. He offered them a place for the night and they thankfully accepted. They stepped outside to see the fight escalate to the use of swords, the disarming of their weapons, and finally a serious hand-to-hand fight. Ichigo was getting the upper hand when an alarm of one of Ganju's friends went off and showed that it was 9pm. He quickly called his boar and rode away with his friends, leaving a pissed off Ichigo and the others sighing in exasperation.

The group stayed the night at an inn and left the next morning in search for Kukaku's house. Well, they would, but Ichigo was adamant about waiting for Ganju to show up so they could finish their fight and not be seen as a "coward". Yoruichi swayed his decision easily by slicing her claws across his face. Needless to say, the group left soon after that.

As the group walked along the dirt road of a countryside, the teens were trying to figure out what this "Kukaku" person would be like. Yoruichi sighed at their antics while Naruto chuckled and reminded Yoruichi that they were still naïve about the world. Yoruichi then reminded him that he was also naïve, but of the Soul Society which he grew sheepish at. The two then saw a house behind a banner that was being held by a pair of large stone arms. The banner said "Kukaku Shiba" on it and Yoruichi proudly exclaimed that they had arrived. The group had a simultaneous sweat drop at that and made their way to the house.

Rukia's Prison Cell

Rukia was sadly sitting in her cell and contemplating the mistakes she had made in her life. She regretted having to end the life of her previous Lieutenant, Kaien Shiba. She was saddened about getting her two friends involved in her dangerous life. And lastly, she was ashamed at herself for letting herself have feelings for someone that she could never be with. He would never be around as long as her and would most likely die a premature death because of her actions the night she met him.

She had just been told by her old friend Renji that she would be moved to the Senzaikyu and that her execution would take place on Sokyuku Hill. She wasn't afraid to die; she was afraid that her friends would die because of her. She sighed sadly to herself and only had one thought.

'Please, just forget about me… Naruto… Ichigo-kun…'

Back with the group

At that moment both of the aforementioned people stopped in their strides and looked to the direction of the Seireitei. Both pairs of eyes gained determined looks and they resumed their trek to the house. At the front door, a pair of bizarre men who looked to be twins stopped them and told them that attempting to enter the home was the same as inviting death itself; something that Naruto snorted at. Yoruichi diffused the situation by making her presence know on Naruto's shoulder. This made the men immediately apologize and show great respect to the feline, even going as far as calling her "Yoruichi-dono" to respect her.

The two then escorted them inside and led them to a room where a woman was seen sitting on a pillow next to a small table. The woman was of average height, had green eyes, and black hair that was partly wrapped in white cloth. She wore a partially revealing robe that showed her endowment, a white skirt, and some sandals. She was missing most of her right arm and her left had a tattoo on it. She also had a pipe in her mouth that had fresh tobacco in it judging from the smell of it in the air.

She noticed Yoruichi and smirked. "Well well, the werecat returns. It's been a while, hasn't it Yoruichi?"

The feline nodded and said, "Yes it has, Kukaku. How have you been?"

She shrugged and said, "Can't complain. The afterlife just drags on, y'know? So, who are the rest of your little group?"

"These are my associates: Naruto Namikaze, Ichigo Kurosaki, Chad Yasutora, Orihime Inoue, and Uryuu Ishida. They're here to rescue someone from being executed."

"So, this isn't a social visit, huh?" A shake of the feline's head was her answer. She smirked again and said, "Alright, I'm game. What's the situation?"

After a brief overview of what was going on, Yoruichi said, "Kukaku, we're going to need _that_ method."

"Well, it's not like I could say 'No'; especially since Kisuke is involved. Alright, I'll help, but I don't really trust your little posse, so I'm sending someone along with you." She then walked up to a door and had a silent conversation with someone on the other side. Once she opened it, Ganju stepped in the room, much to everyone's surprise.

Ganju politely introduced himself and then locked eyes with Ichigo. They began to fight again and were tumbling all over the floor. During the scuffle, Kukaku dropped her pipe and it became a "casualty of war". Her eyes darkened and she bashed the two fighting idiots on their heads. After yelling at them over growing up and acting like grownups, she then escorted them all to an underground path that leads to a room with a chimney like addition. She pointed out that the "chimney" was actually a cannon and that she would be firing them into the Seireitei. She then had her two assistants raise up the chamber so that it was above ground.

Uryuu was immediately against the idea and was ranting over the fact that they would get killed. Kukaku shut him up by launching an orb to his face that ricochets off it and into Ichigo's hands. "That orb is meant to absorb reiatsu and create a protective field around the holder. You just have to focus and control your reiatsu and the orb should do the rest. The Seireitei is surrounded by a large sphere of reiatsu resistant material, so that orb is the only thing that will keep you all alive."

Naruto took the orb from Ichigo and got a feel for it. Then he decided to try it and he was immediately surrounded in an orb of solid reiatsu. "Like this, Kukaku-san?"

She nodded and said, "Yep, just like that. You got someone with natural reiatsu control, Yoruichi. What was your name again?"

"It's Naruto Namikaze. I learned something similar to this when I was alive, so this is nothing to me." He then deactivated the barrier and tossed the ball back to Ichigo.

Ichigo tried to form one of his own, but the orb just sparked in his hands and nothing else happened. "Why isn't this working?"

Kukaku shrugged and said, "You probably don't have a complete grasp of your reiatsu. You have time to practice, but not much because I'm firing you all to the Seireitei at dawn."

The teens gulped while Naruto just shrugged and walked off. This got Yoruichi's attention and she asked, "Where are you headed to, Naruto?"

He looked to her from over his shoulder and replied, "I have some training to catch up on. The people Kisuke sent me to were helpful with my problem, but another issue came up during the week." He then headed off to a random part of the surrounding forest to train.

The rest of the group just went back inside to practice with the protective devices.

(Their training with them is canon)

Once Naruto reached the clearing he wanted, he pulled out his two swords and stabbed them into the ground. He focused his reiatsu and the swords glowed with energy. From the energy came the figures of Minato and Kushina, who were both smiling at their son. His father was dressed in his old Hokage gear and his mother was dressed in a crimson battle kimono.

Naruto smiled back at them and said, "Alright, let's start training."

They both nodded and had katana blades appear in their hands; Minato's in a yellow flash and Kushina's in a swirl of water.

"Alright Naruto, it's time to begin…" his father began.

"…Your bankai training, "finished his mother.

(End)

1: No one in the group but Naruto knows that Yoruichi has a "true form". Ichigo is suspicious about it, but has no proof.

And it is done! Once again, I apologize for the late update, but like the earlier Author Note said, my COM went down and I had to retype everything.

This chapter may have been shorter than others, but it was necessary to let the readers know how the group's arrival happened and how they plan to get into the Seireitei. Anyways, please R&R!

Next week: The group begins their rescue operation and Rukia is moved to her new cell. Stay Tuned!

Until next time, I'm pain17ification! Laters!


	10. Chapter 10: First Encounters

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, the group enters the Seireitei for but problems arise early and their journey becomes challenging right at the start.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

Poll Notice: I have a poll up, so please cast your votes!

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

**"Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

**'Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chpt 10: First Encounters

In the Captain's Chambers of the Seireitei, all of the Squad Taicho were in the middle of a meeting. There were a total of 13 Captains present and accounted for.

Going from 13-1, the first Taicho was a kind faced man with long white hair but black eyebrows; a result of a terrible disease that he has. This was Jushiro Ukitake of Squad 13.

Next was a man with black and white face paint, a strange hat, and even stranger additions to his features. His ears and chin were covered by strange gold "attachments" of sorts and his right middle fingernail was _much _longer than the other nails. He also wore a purple scarf. He was Mayuri Kurotsuchi of Squad 12.

Next was a tall man with spiky, bell tipped hair, a scared face, and an eyepatch on his right eye. He had a look of pure boredom on his face. He was Kenpachi Zaraki of Squad 11.

Next was a teenage looking man with pure white hair and ice blue eyes. He had a serious demeanor and paid close attention. This was Toshiro Hitsugaya of Squad 10.

Next was a dark skinned man who wore an orange scarf, clear goggles, and had pale purple eyes; a result of being blind since birth. He was Kaname Tosen of Squad 9.

Next was a tall man with grey eyes and long wavy brown hair. He wore a straw hat and a pink, flowered ladies kimono, which he drapes across his shoulders and over his captain's uniform. His hair was tied into a ponytail with bangs draping the left side of his face. This was Shunsui Kyoraku of Squad 8.

The next Taicho was a tall figure with large, gloved hands and a helmet covering his entire face. This was Sajin Komamura of Squad 7.

Byakuya Kuchiki was the Squad 6 Taicho.

The next Taicho was a kind looking man with brown hair and glasses. He had a look of pure calm on his face. This was Sosuke Aizen of Squad 5.

The next Taicho was a gentle looking woman with long black hair that was draped over her shoulders and braided in front of her. She was Retsu Unohana of Squad 4.

Gin Ichimaru was the Taicho of Squad 3.

Next was a serious looking woman who wore her hair short with two long braids bound in white cloth, each ending in a large golden ring. The rings were attached to the sheath of her Zanpakuto. This was Sui-Feng of Squad 2.

The last Taicho is also the Leader of all the Taicho. He was an old man with red eyes, a very long white beard, and long eyebrows. There were many scars on his torso and head, the two most prominent being a pair of long, perpendicular scars above his right eye, suggesting numerous battles in his past. He was Genryusai Shigekuni Yamamoto, Taicho of Squad 1 and Sotaicho of the Gotei 13.

"We are here to discuss the actions, or rather the lack of actions that you took the other day against the ryoka (intruders) at the gate. What do you have to say for yourself, Ichimaru Taicho?" questioned Yamamoto.

"Oh my, I didn't think that the group would be so important. I'll be sure to correct my mistake the next time I see them, Sotaicho-sama," he replied.

Yamamoto wasn't entirely convinced, but he nodded anyway and said, "Be sure that you do. Now then, we need to—"

He was interrupted by the intruder alarms going off and Kenpachi immediately went off to search for the strongest of the group. Yamamoto decided to end the meeting and ordered the Captains into battle stations and left to go command his own squad.

Outside, the Shinigami of the Seireitei were all gazing at the cannonball from Kukaku's cannon hit the barrier and then split off into 5 separate directions. Kenpachi looked on in dismay and randomly picked one to follow.

With the Group before they hit the barrier

After the group with the addition of Ganju were fired towards the Seireitei, Ganju was to incant the follow up Kido to make the cannonball head towards the Seireitei without problems.

Yea fucking right!

He got into an argument with Ichigo after he messed up during the incantation and repeated a line. Because they were arguing, they ran out of time to properly prepare, so Yoruichi told them all to flood the orb with their reiatsu to empower it to survive the impact.

Once the cannonball hit, the group was suddenly frozen in midair and Yoruichi cried out, "Stick together! Once the barrier re-stabilizes itself, it will blast us into the Seireitei!"

So they all tried to move towards one another. Ganju headed for Ichigo, the closest to him. Chad went to Orihime, but then noticed that Uryuu wouldn't make it to anyone in time, so he let go of Orihime, rushed to Uryuu, and threw him to her. Naruto had Yoruichi on his shoulder, but convinced her to let him go alone and to try and help Chad. The werecat reluctantly agreed and tried to make it to the gentle giant in time, but the barrier stabilized itself before she made it. So, the group ended up being separated: Ichigo with Ganju, Orihime with Uryuu, and the other three in three separate directions.

With Ichigo and Ganju

The two landed safely after Ganju used a technique to turn the ground into sand so that it would soften their landing. Ichigo complained about the sand while Ganju praised his own quick thinking. The two were interrupted by the voice of one of the two Shinigami on the rooftop behind them.

"Well, it looks like today's our lucky day, eh Yumichika?"

"Indeed, Ikkaku. Today we are able to show these ryoka the difference between their ugliness in battle compared to our beauty in it."

With Orihime and Uryuu

Orihime saved Uryuu and herself from the fall by using her Shun-Shun Rikka to cast a shield and have them land safely. The repetitive surges of her power took their toll on her and she passed out from exhaustion, resulting in Uryuu having to hide the two from the approaching Shinigami.

With Chad

The gentle giant used his Brazo Derecha del Gigante (Right Arm of the Giant) to protect himself from serious damage during his eventual impact. The arm took most of the impact, but Chad was still slightly sore and hid himself from the incoming Shinigami by hiding in a nearby tree. Luckily for him, the group of Shinigami were not the best at tracking their targets and passed by him without even looking in the tree.

With Yoruichi

Another group of Shinigami were running towards one of the ryoka's landing locations. They are led by a yellow haired lieutenant with hair covering his left eye. As the target nears, it suddenly disappeared and the Shinigami are forced to start searching for it again. The target had been Yoruichi, who now stood on a nearby roof. She figured that as it turns out, she was now on her own, which might be a good thing in the end. She then started heading off in a random direction to keep tabs on both the Shinigami and her companions.

With Naruto

Naruto was rapidly nearing the ground and quickly pulled out his father's sword and released Hiraishin. As he approached the 50ft mark, he "flashed" to a nearby rooftop, similar to how Yoruichi stopped her own fall, and sighed in relief. He then checked his surroundings and noticed that he was on the roof near a Squad's Barracks. He noticed that the recruits were dressed like stereotypical ninjas and sweat-dropped at their attire and training methods.

'_This_ is the training regiment for the so-called Stealth Force neechan told me about? By Kami-sama, they're awful!'

He was interrupted from his gazing by someone clearing their throat. This caused him to go rigid and slowly turn to see a very annoyed looking Sui-Feng.

"Enjoying your observation of my squad, ryoka?" she asked.

Naruto gulped slightly and replied, "Well, they uh… *clears throat* They could use some serious work."

She raised an eyebrow at that and asked, "Is that so? And how exactly would you know that?"

"Simple: I was one of the best shinobi of my time when I was alive. And just by looking at them now, a Chunin could easily best them," he replied with a small smirk.

Sui-Feng stared at him intently and stated, "Prove it. Prove that you are as good as you say you are." She then rushed him and he flashed away to a nearby rooftop, surprising her with his speed.

"I would love to spar with you some other time, but I'm a little busy at the moment trying to save my friend from being executed. So, see ya!" He then started flashing away rapidly, prompting Sui-Feng to give chase. Unknown to anyone, she had a small grin on her face.

'This should be interesting, 'she thought.

Back with Ichigo and Ganju

Ichigo was in the middle of a fierce battle with Ikkaku, who released his Zanpakuto, and the two had similar wounds near their eyes. Ikkaku then used a special paste to seal up the wound, making Ichigo complain about him cheating.

"It's not cheating; it's called 'being prepared'," Ikkaku stated.

Ichigo then rushed Ikkaku and was surprised that his spear split into triple nun chucks and left him guessing during the attacks. Ichigo took more wounds, but was able to keep most of the attacks at bay by blocking and evading. Ikkaku then took another swing at him, but Ichigo grabs the end of the weapon, resulting in the end cracking a little and the red tassels being ripped off.

Ganju was evading the constant attacks by Yumichika by utilizing deceptive tricks and evasive maneuvers. This annoyed the "beauty freak" and made him yell at Ganju to hold still and take his death as "beautifully" as he could. Ganju yelled out that he was insane and needed help, which annoyed Yumichika more and made him try harder to get the Shiba.

Then Ganju pulled out a bomb and made it explode near them, which resulted in chili pepper smoke engulfing them and blinding them. The two blindly tried to find their way around and they fell into a pit. Ganju, however, was able to grab the edge and Yumichika grabbed him by the ankle. Both of them were going to be stuck for a while.

With Orihime and Uryuu

After waking Orihime, Uryuu and the girl tried to make their way through the pathways of the Seireitei but soon ran into a group of Shinigami resulting in them running away to avoid capture. Uryuu and Orihime were soon being chased by three separate groups that merged into one large one. They were in for a long chase.

With Chad

Chad was making his way through the Seireitei as well, only he had no issues with the Shinigami yet, thanks to Uryuu and Orihime.

'I wonder why I'm not being chased, 'he mused.

With Yoruichi

Yoruichi was in the middle of watching another group of Shinigami try to locate the ryoka. The group ran past a poor 4th Division member who was on his way to bring food to a prisoner (1). After being disoriented for a little bit, the young Shinigami resumed his delivery.

Yoruichi sighed at the stupidity of the now absent group of Shinigami and thought, 'If _this_ is how they search for ryoka nowadays, the Seireitei is doomed.'

She had no idea how right she was for the future.

With Naruto and Sui-Feng

Naruto was in the middle of a game of "cat and mouse" with the Squad 2 Taicho. He was cursing the fact that his "devil's luck" Tsunade constantly said he had left him in death.

"Can't we just talk about this?" he tried asking"

Sui-Feng's response was to _Shunpo_ behind him and kick him into a nearby wall.

Naruto groaned as he got up and muttered, "I guess not…" He then readied himself for her next move and dodged her incoming punch by flashing behind her and grabbing her in a full nelson. She responded by head butting him in the face and kicking him in the gut, resulting in him flying into another wall.

"What's wrong, ryoka? I thought you were 'one of the best shinobi' of your time? You don't seem like it to me, "she taunted.

Naruto responded by flashing in front of her and plunging a weakened _Rasengan_ into her gut, sending her flying back by the force of the attack. He then called out, "You satisfied now, Shinigami?"

"Not bad, ryoka, "she replied from a nearby rooftop. Her attire looked pretty damaged, but she was still decent. She also looked like she took a pretty good amount of damage from the blow, but not enough to cause her problems in the fight. "That actually hurt a little." Naruto just sighed and resealed Hiraishin. This confused Sui-Feng and she asked, "Giving up already?"

Naruto responded by taking out his mother's sword and saying, "Whirl about, Uzuhime!" Once Uzuhime was released and his features changed, he readied the blade and said, "Not even close." He then launched his _Reiatsu Chains_ at her, forcing her to dodge, and then swung his blade with a cry of, "_Suiton: Water Dragon Jutsu_!" From the blade came a dragon made of raging water that rushed Sui-Feng. She dodged with a well timed _Shunpo_ and stared wide-eyed at the damage the technique caused. It may have missed her, but what it did hit was crushed under the raging waters.

"Who are you, ryoka?" she asked while thinking that pulling out her Zanpakuto might not be such a bad idea now.

Naruto merely resumed his ready stance and replied in an even tone, "The name's Naruto Namikaze; be sure to remember it."

(end)

1- Most people know who this poor 4th Division member is, but to those who don't, his name is Hanataro. He's the Shinigami who brought food to Rukia and kept her company during her imprisonment.

Well, I made my first cliffhanger! (At least I think I did…) Anyhow, the "ryoka" have made their entrance into the Seireitei and are already having problems. What will happen to them? Will they survive? Maybe~~

Be sure to R&R people! Thank you!

Next week: The ryoka are still facing problems and Naruto gets himself in the center of an awkward situation. What will happen? Stay Tuned!

I'm pain17ification, and I'll see you guys next time! Laters!


	11. Chapter 11: The Fox and The Hornet

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Naruto continues to fight his way through the Seireitei and his true power begins to show.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

AN: I don't think you all want to see the canon fights for the rest of the group, so for the next few chapters, I'm just gonna focus on Naruto. Sound good?

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

_Last Time:_

"_Whirl about, Uzuhime!" Once Uzuhime was released and his features changed, he readied the blade and said, "Not even close." He then launched his _Reiatsu Chains_ at her, forcing her to dodge, and then swung his blade with a cry of, "_Suiton: Water Dragon Jutsu_!" From the blade came a dragon made of raging water that rushed Sui-Feng. She dodged with a well timed _Shunpo_ and stared wide-eyed at the damage the technique caused. It may have missed her, but what it did hit was crushed under the raging waters._

"_Who are you, ryoka?" she asked him._

_Naruto merely resumed his ready stance and replied in an even tone, "The name's Naruto Namikaze; be sure to remember it."_

Chpt 11: The Fox and the Hornet 

Naruto was staring at Sui-Feng from his position on one of the many roofs of the Seireitei. He held Uzuhime in his hands and waited for the Taicho's next move. She stared back with determination burning in her eyes. This ryoka had power and wasn't afraid to dish out some destructive techniques. She'd have to get serious soon, or else.

She pulled out her own Zanpakuto and asked, "Why are you all here? Surely one person isn't worth risking your lives for."

Naruto shook his head and replied, "That's where you're wrong, Shinigami."

"And that's another thing, "she interrupted, "You call me 'Shinigami' but you're one too, right? You have a Zanpakuto, so you must be one."

"That's a little difficult to answer. Yes I'm a Shinigami like you, but unlike you, I don't know my opponent's name or rank. Furthermore, I have something that practically no Shinigami has. Now, as for rescuing Rukia, she's my friend and I never abandon my friends. As a wise man once told me 'Those who break the rules are scum, but those who abandon their comrades are even lower than that'. I take his teachings to heart, so I won't abandon Rukia!"

Sui-Feng's respect for the ryoka grew slightly. To have so much determination and dedication to your morals was admirable, but somewhat foolish when push came to shove. She held up her Zanpakuto and said, "Then I suppose that fighting you without releasing my own sword would be an insult to you. Am I right?" He didn't respond. "I'm Sui-Feng, Captain of the 2nd Division and Head of the Stealth Force. Prepare yourself, Namikaze, for this is my Zanpakuto! Sting all enemies to death, Suzumebachi!"

Her Zanpakuto changed into a black and gold gauntlet that had a small chain linking it to a stinger-like blade on Sui-Feng's middle finger. The "stinger" was about twice as long as the normal length of Sui-Feng's fingers to slightly increase her striking distance.

"A stinger-like gauntlet? Fitting for your position, Feng-san, if I do say so myself. I can feel the power coming from you. I guess I shouldn't hold back since you seem to be playing for keeps." He took out Minato's sword and called out, "Streak, Hiraishin!" The sword changed into a Hiraishin kunai while Naruto's features returned to normal, except for the cloak. He then slammed the two Zanpakuto together and cried out, "Zanpakuto Conjunction!" The two weapons fused into a double-bladed sword/knife combo. There was also a change I to his eyes that Naruto didn't notice, but Sui-Feng did. She saw that his eyes had changed from electric blue to a grayish purple, even the sclera, and they had a single ring around each pupil. (1)

'So it seems that his physical attributes change along with his weapons. I don't think I've ever seen something like that before, 'she thought to herself. She then used _Shunpo_ to close the distance between them and attempted to stab him with her stinger. Naruto surprised her by easily grabbing her wrist, halting her advance. This shocked her and left her open to a kick to her gut that sent her flying away from him and crashing into a nearby wall.

Naruto continued with a cry of, "_Suiton: Water Shark Missile_" and launched a shark shaped projectile towards the woman. Before it reached her, it exploded in a burst of water and a blur rammed into the Jinchuriki. He felt something stab his chest and he flashed away, holding his wound. Over it, a tattoo of sorts in the semblance of a butterfly appeared. "Interesting… I can feel your reiatsu entering my body. It feels like a foreign poison…"

Sui-Feng nodded and said, "That's the power of Suzumebachi. It places some of my reiatsu into your bloodstream and acts like a poison. One strike alone isn't enough to kill you, but a second strike in the same place is a sure-fire instant death. That is its power: 'Death in 2 Strikes'!" She then rushed him again and appeared to be a blur to the normal eye, but Naruto saw her clearly. She went for another stab, but he flashed behind her and grabbed the back of her collar with his left hand while is right held his weapon. His momentum was enough to pull her and he slashed at her back in mid-pull. Sui-Feng was able to _Shunpo_ away, but she still got a decent sized cut on her back. 'He's good…' she thought.

Naruto assumed a ready stance and focused reiatsu throughout his body. With a pulse of energy, multiple copies of the red-blonde appeared totaling in fifty of him. This surprised the Stealth Force Captain, but she prepared herself. The clones rushed her and she pushed as much reiatsu into her legs as possible. Her speed rose to incredible levels and she easily dispatched the clones, resulting in a large plume of smoke that blinded both combatants. Naruto smirked to himself and used his other senses to feel for Sui-Feng's reiatsu like Zabuza felt for his teams' chakra sources many years ago. He decided to decrease visibility more by using the _Hidden Mist Jutsu_.

Taking a page out of the Demon of the Mist's book, Naruto called out, "There are 8 points of the body that spell instant death when hit. They are the larynx, spine, lungs, liver, subclavian artery, kidneys, and the heart. Now then, which spot should I aim for?"

Sui-Feng was impressed that he seemed so confident in himself, and even more impressed that he was able to project his voice to be practically everywhere. Any Shinigami under Lt, maybe even under 3rd seat, would be shaking in fear, but she wasn't a Taicho for nothing. She closed her eyes and tried to feel him out. She focused for a few seconds and found him, but he had already placed his sword to her throat. She stood still and tried to see his face in the mist. When she did, she was surprised to see that he had his eyes closed.

"It's over…" he whispered. He then made to slice her throat open but she blocked the blade and pushed it back by flaring her reiatsu. This successfully pushed him back and also alerted her subordinates of her present location. Naruto wasn't fazed by the arrival of over fifty Stealth Force operatives. "Nice task force, Feng-san. Although, I'm curious… I thought you were a woman who fought with honor? Are you going to let your recruits fight for you?"

Sui-Feng knew that he was trying to goad her into fighting him one on one, but she had a job to do. "Men, apprehend the ryoka. Make sure to take him in alive."

"Yes ma'am!" they all replied as they charged at the red-blonde.

Naruto merely sighed in annoyance and released a large pulse of reiatsu which formed multiple _Reiatsu Chains_. The chains were able to wrap around all of the recruits and fling them all into the walls, roofs, or even each other. They were all rendered unconscious in a matter of 10 seconds. He shook his head in disappointment and said to Sui-Feng, "I told you that they were weak. Like I said, a Chunin could take them down. And you're having them go after a Sannin level shinobi? That wasn't your best decision, Feng-san."

Sui-Feng couldn't help but agree with him, but her men were actually meant to be a distraction for her to replenish her reserves. She charged at the Jinchuriki again and he halted her assault by grabbing her wrist once again. He squeezed it, resulting in her cringing in slight pain, and made to stab her stomach but she twisted her body to dodge and kick him in the head. The blow made him let her go and she tackled him to the ground. They tumbled for a bit and came to a stop in front of the 4th Division barracks. They ended up with Sui-Feng straddling him with her stinger poised to stab the previous mark and Naruto with a _Rasengan_ in front of her face.

Both stared into each other's eyes and studied one another. Sui-Feng saw all of the pain and sadness in his eyes but also saw that he had a growing hope and fierce determination. Naruto saw that Sui-Feng had eyes showing hurt, betrayal, and sadness. Slowly, he dispersed his jutsu and lowered his hand. He continued staring at her and said quietly, "If you're going to end it, do it now."

She widened her eyes at that. He was giving up? But why? He looked so determined before… She then looked into his eyes again and saw nothing except acceptance and a sort of peace. They were the eyes of one who felt as if they had done all they could and had accepted their fate. Such a look seemed so wrong in his eyes. She slowly lowered her weapon as well and whispered out, "Why are you giving up?"

Unknown to them, Retsu was watching them from outside her barracks. She was surprised that the ryoka just seemed to give up and accept death. What surprised her even more was when the "cold and serious" Sui-Feng lowered her own weapon and appear to be quite shaken up.

Naruto sighed at her question and replied, "I'm fed up with it all… All of the fighting, killing, and senseless actions that people take every single day. I died once already in a war… I don't want to get thrown into another one… I'm ready to die, Sui-Feng. I accepted that long ago… So, if I am to die by someone who has felt something similar to me, then at least I can die in peace…"

His words were spoken with utmost truth and sincerity. He truly was accepting death and would be at peace if Sui-Feng did the deed. Retsu looked on and mentally asked, 'What will you do now, Sui-Feng-Taicho?'

Sui-Feng herself was utterly speechless at his words. She knew he was speaking the truth since she was looking into his eyes the whole time. Her heart clenched at what he was saying and her soul was urging her to help him. She noticed that he had his eyes closed and was waiting for her to end it. Instead of killing him, she grabbed his face into her hands and made him look at her. "You're not getting off that easy, Naruto," she said softly.

Naruto then experienced the most unexpected thing from her: she kissed him! His eyes widened and he froze in shock. He, a ryoka and enemy of the Seireitei, was being kissed by a _Captain_ of all people! He kept asking himself why she was doing this but slowly began to kiss her back.

Sui-Feng was surprised at her actions. It was like her body moved against her will and made her kiss this man. But what surprised her even more was the fact that she was enjoying it and didn't push him away. She was also pleasantly surprised when he began to return the kiss.

Unohana was speechless at what happened. But, she slowly gained her famous smile and mentally said, 'Well, that was unexpected. Perhaps this man could be the one to finally break your shell and reveal who you truly are, Sui-Feng.'

When they finally separated, they both had looks of shock on their faces. Naruto slowly gained a soft smile and saw that Sui-Feng's eyes showed some happiness in them. She slowly returned the smile and saw the same thing in his eyes. Another thing that she had noticed was that his eyes had gained a second ring around the pupils.

Naruto slowly cupped one of her cheeks with his hand and whispered to her, "Thank you…"

He then slowly faded away into a vaporized mist leaving Sui-Feng to watch it get carried away with the wind. She had a smile on her face as she heard the mist call out, "I'll be sure to see you again, Sui-Feng."

She watched the mist disappear in the sunset and whispered out, "I know you will…" She then left the area as unohan smiled at what had just happened.

'Things are about to get really interesting soon, 'she thought to herself.

(End)

1- That's right people! Naruto has the early signs of the Rinnegan!

Well, I hope I did pretty well with this chapter. I hope you guys don't mind, but I added Sui-Feng to the list of girls for Naruto. That makes it Halibel, Neliel, and Sui-Feng; no more! Don't ask me for any more and please don't complain about my choices. Also, don't forget to R&R!

In case you were wondering about the awkward moment, the surprise kiss from Sui-Feng was what it was. And as for the "cupping the cheek", it was not her ass you perves!

Next Week: Naruto continues to traverse through the Seireitei and encounters more obstacles on his path to saving Rukia. His power slowly increases as well. What will his new power be? Stay Tuned to find out!

Until next time, I'm pain17ification! See you all next time!


	12. Chapter 12: Breaking Plots & A Surprise

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Naruto continues his exploration of the Seireitei and also puts a hamper in Aizen's schemes.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

AN: I don't think you all want to see the canon fights for the rest of the group, so for the next few chapters, I'm just gonna focus on Naruto. Sound good?

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 12: Breaking Illusions and Surprising Information

The next morning found Naruto getting closer to the Senzaikyu. He had easily snuck past multiple groups of Shinigami recruits and was trying to get to the white tower in the middle of the Seireitei. He thought back to what happened yesterday with Sui-Feng and found that she had helped remove some of the lingering doubts he had in his mind when she kissed him. He still couldn't believe that she actually did though. He was also ashamed of himself for accepting death so easily. It was like spitting on the graves of the ones he had cared for and fought beside. He resolved himself to not go down that path again and resumed his trek.

Unknown to him, in his mindscape three cloaked figures appeared beside Minato and Kushina that caused them to gasp in surprise. What shocked them even more was that the figures, as well as themselves, had the eyes of the Rinnegan.

Naruto was still moving on when he felt a great rise in reiatsu and felt it combating against Ichigo's reiatsu. He started to head towards the source and saw that Ichigo was fighting a very tall man with spiky hair, a scarred face, and a Taicho's haori. He was impressed with Ichigo holding his own against the Taicho and was unaware of his fellow observer.

She looked like a small child with pink hair, dark pink eyes, and a perpetual blush on her cheeks. She wore the standard Shinigami shihakusho and a Lt. Badge on her left arm. She stood next to Naruto as he watched the fight.

"Hi!" she exclaimed, causing him to slightly jump in surprise. He turned to look at her and was surprised that a young looking girl was already a Lieutenant, but he had started out as a 7yr old looking Shinigami, so he couldn't judge. "My name's Yachiru Kusajishi! What's yours?"

Naruto smiled to her and said, "Naruto Namikaze… It's nice to meet you, Yachiru." He then turned back to watch the fight.

She did the same and asked, "Do you know that guy down there?" She pointed to Ichigo and he gave an affirmative response. "He's been giving Kenny a good fight and Kenny has really cut loose."

He chuckled and her childish demeanor and replied, "Well, it's nice to know that my friend is helping out your friend." He then turned to the little pinkette and asked, "Say, Yachiru, can you do me a favor?"

"Of course, Whiskers!" she responded with enthusiasm.

His brow twitched slightly at that, but he calmed himself and asked, "Can you make sure that my friend, Ichigo, doesn't get himself killed in this fight?"

She tilted her head in confusion and asked, "Why?"

"Because we need to save our friend and he really wants to see her again. Plus, if your friend, Kenny, kills him then he won't be able to fight him anymore."

Yachiru pondered it for a bit, but then her face lit up and she answered, "Sure thing! I'll make sure Icchi doesn't get himself killed, Whiskers!"

Naruto gave her a pat on the head and said, "Thanks, Yachiru. Now, I have to go but I'll see you again, okay?"

She held out her pinky to him and asked, "Promise?"

He smiled and wrapped his pinky around hers. "I promise." And with that he disappeared in a _Shunpo_ leaving a smiling Yachiru to watch the final clash between Ichigo and Kenpachi.

Unknown to them, Yoruichi watched their interaction and smiled at the promise between Yachiru and her little brother.

Naruto was jumping along the rooftops before he heard a woman shriek in horror. Curious at what happened, he headed to her location. Once there, he saw he was on one of the rooftops of a small courtyard and saw a young woman with brown hair and eyes who had her hair in a wrapped bun staring in horror at a wall. He turned to the wall and saw a hazy reiatsu source near the top of the wall. This confused him, so he decided to wait and see what happened.

With Momo

Momo was staring in shock at the sight of her dead Taicho stabbed into the wall by his own sword. She was afraid and confused. Who would kill Aizen Taicho? He was one of the nicest Captains of the whole Seireitei!

She was broken out of her thoughts by the arrival of Izuru Kira and Captain Ichimaru. She then remembered Toshiro's warning about Ichimaru and rushed at him in a blind rage. Her attack was halted by Izuru who wished to protect his Taicho.

"Kira, get out of my way!" screamed Momo.

"Momo, what has gotten into you?" yelled back Izuru.

"Gin killed Aizen Taicho! I know he did!" Momo was in hysterics at the sight of Aizen's dead body. She then noticed Gin leaving and yelled out, "Snap, Tobiume!" Her sword changed into that of a straight sword with two "prong-like" along the blade.

Kira was shocked that she would recklessly release her Zanpakuto. He sighed and said, "Momo, my duty is to my Taicho and you are threatening his safety. This leaves me no choice but to retaliate. Raise your head, Wabisuke!" His sword changed into a sword that has its tip take two 90 degree angles, forming a straight "hook" of sorts.

The two were about to clash but were stopped by the appearance of Toshiro Hitsugaya blocking both of their swords with his. He orders them both to be arrested, shocking the both of them. He replies that they released their Zanpakuto illegally within the Seireitei and rebukes Momo for not taking care of Aizen's condition first. After the guards take away the two Lieutenants, gin apologizes for wasting Toshiro's time. Toshiro then accuses Ichimaru of attempting to kill Momo, which the Taicho of Squad 3 refuses. Toshiro then threatens to end Gin's life if even a single drop of Momo's blood is spilt.

After Ichimaru leaves, Toshiro turns to his Lieutenant, Rangiku Matsumoto, and has her contact Unohana Taicho to check Aizen's condition. After Rangiku leaves, Toshiro senses a reiatsu source and turns his gaze to Naruto.

"You there, come down here!" he orders the red-blonde. Naruto complies with the order but stays on edge, just in case he needs a quick escape. "Who are you? I don't recognize you."

"That's because I'm not from here. You Shinigami keep referring to me and my friends as 'ryoka' and are constantly chasing after us." Naruto then turns to the hazy reiatsu source and asks, "So what is that thing?"

This confuses Hitsugaya and he replies, "It's a body! Can't you see it?"

Naruto slowly shakes his head and answers, "No… All I see is a hazy cloud where your supposed 'body' is. That's strange… You see a body, but I don't…" He was mumbling to himself at the end.

This confused the 10th Squad Taicho even further and he was about to ask more, but Rangiku Unohana Taicho had arrived. Rangiku was surprised to see such a handsome man in the courtyard and Unohana was smiling like she always did, but it seemed to be a brighter smile.

"Ah, Hitsugaya Taicho, what is it you need of me?" asked the healer.

Toshiro pointed to the body and replied, "I need you to check the condition of Aizen Taicho. He appears to be dead, but we need to know how."

Naruto decided to interrupt. "I'm telling you, there is no body. There's only a hazy form hanging up there."

"And how could you be so sure?" asked the young Captain.

Naruto jerked a thumb to the supposed body and asked, "Does that reiatsu source feel normal to you? Because it seems to be a fake or implanted reiatsu source to me."

The other three decided to feel out the reiatsu but they felt nothing wrong with it. Seeing their confused faces, Naruto sighed and headed towards the body. He was blocked, however, by Toshiro appearing in front of him with a _Shunpo_. "You are not going to touch that body, ryoka."

Naruto rolled his eyes and held up a half ram seal, making Toshiro stiffen in preparation to retaliate. "Watch the body. It's not as real as you think. _Genjutsu: Kai_ (release)!" The 'body' of Aizen suddenly started to become hazy to the others and suddenly shattered like glass, leaving nothing; no body, no sword, and no reiatsu source.

Unohana was shocked at this and was wondering why someone would want to plant a fake body of Aizen. Toshiro was shocked as well and felt as if Gin had something to do with this. Rangiku had no idea what was going on, but was shocked at the disappearance of the body.

Naruto lowered his hand and asked, "Now do you see? It wasn't real; that body was a fake. Someone wants you guys in a state of panic, and judging by what that Momo girl was displaying, they slightly succeeded."

"What did you do?" asked Unohana. She was a medic/researcher before she was a Shinigami, so she was always interested in what the human (or Shinigami) body was capable of. "You called it a 'genjutsu'; what is that?"

"In that order: I released the illusion that was placed there and genjutsu literally means 'The Art of Illusions'. Illusions rarely affect me due to… certain things, so that's why I was able to notice something was wrong before you all did."

"So, we've been fooled?" asked Rangiku, speaking for the first time.

"It appears that way, "answered Hitsugaya. "Someone wants us to believe that Aizen has died. The question is: who does?"

"Well, let me tell you now that my friends and I had nothing to do with this. None of us have even reached this area yet, plus none of us can utilize illusions. I may be able to break them and see through them, but I can't make them. You may want to look a little closer to home about this, "Naruto told them. He knew that neither he nor the others were responsible for this, so it had to be set up from the inside.

"Rangiku, you and I are going to report this to the Sotaicho. Unohana Taicho, please keep an eye on the ryoka. He may have broken the illusion, but he may be lying about not being able to cast it," ordered Hitsugaya.

"Whoa, hold on! I told you, I can't make any illusions! My Zanpakuto can't do that; they increase my reflexes, let me perform water based techniques, and allow me to perform other attacks. No illusions involved."

"Regardless of what you say, we need to be cautious and have you as a potential suspect. Until proof of what you say is shown, you are held in suspicion. Now then, let's go Rangiku." He and his Lieutenant then left Naruto with the Head of the Medic Dept. who just kept smiling at the red-blonde.

"Um… Any particular reason why you seem so upbeat, Unohana-san?" asked Naruto.

"Oh, I'm just glad that you were able to crack through the shell that Sui-Feng-Taicho had placed around her emotions. So far, no one had been able to do so, but you made it look so simple," she answered.

Naruto sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and replied, "People have told me that all the time. back when I was alive, friend or foe, I just seemed to connect with people. People called it a strange gift while I just called it 'being myself'. I'm still shocked at what she did…"

"Ah yes, the kiss she gave you." Unohana's smile grew at that and Naruto's eyes widened.

'You saw the whole thing…" he deadpanned. At her nod, he face-palmed and asked, "Does anyone else know?"

"No, no one knows of the nice thing you did for Sui-Feng."

"But, I didn't do anything!" he exclaimed. "All I did was accept defeat and death, and then she just lowered her weapon and kissed me! What the hell did I do?"

That got him a smack on the head by Unohana who said, "Language, Naruto-san. And it was your acceptance of death by her hands that got her to think over her actions and see that you two were kindred spirits. You both have experienced loss and she was able to see a connection to react to; hence, the kiss she gave you." Unohana gained a serious look at her explanation and Naruto didn't take the look lightly. She always had a cheerful demeanor, so a serious face was bound to mean something important. "Don't get upset over what happened, Naruto-san. You've done a good thing by helping Sui-Feng finally open up again."

Naruto shook his head and replied, "I'm not upset; I'm just confused at why it's always me. Back when I was alive, I gained the affection of at least 6 people. Funny thing is, I never noticed until it was too late. I was sought after by a fellow shinobi (Hinata), an actress/princess (Koyuki), a priestess (Shion), a medic who was betrayed by the one she once loved (Amaru), a princess from the past (Sara), and one of the leaders of the Five Hidden Villages (Mei). It's funny at how I realized that I could've found that special someone, but I figured it out too late."

Unohana saw that Naruto gained a distant look in his eyes and decided to take him to the 4th Division Barracks to keep him out of trouble. On their way there, she asked the young man more about his past; something that he kept mostly hidden. He told her about his loved ones, but not about Kurama, the war, or the fact that he was from a different Realm. She suspected he was hiding some things, but respected his privacy about them. Naruto felt relaxed around the cheerful Captain. She reminded him of Shizune and he told her so. She smiled at being compared to one of his precious people and expressed that he did not seem like a criminal to her.

As they neared the barracks, they had passed Captain Komamura who did not recognize the red-blonde.

"Unohana-Taicho, who is that young man walking with you?" he asked. "I don't recognize him from any of the other Divisions."

"It's alright, Komamura-Taicho. He isn't of the Gotei 13, but he has accepted capture. I am going to hold him in the 4th Division Barracks until the whole ryoka business is settled," answered Unohana.

Naruto got a good look at the tall Captain and noticed that he smelled of foxes. "You hang around foxes a lot, Komamura-Taicho?" asked Naruto.

The masked Captain stiffened slightly and noticed the fox-like features on the young man; his slightly angular eyes, his whisker marks, and his own fox scent. "I could ask you the same thing, ryoka."

Naruto growled slightly, surprising the two Captains, and said, "Please stop calling me that. I hate being called by a title. My name is Naruto Namikaze, and you'd do well to remember it."

Komamura noticed the sharp canines on the man and thought to himself, 'He seems to have a kitsune influence on his physical features. Strange… I never would have imagined that someone similar to myself would appear in the form of an intruder.'

"Well, we'll be going now Komamura-Taicho, "Unohana said trying to ease the tension in the air. "I'll be seeing you."

Komamura nodded and left the area. Naruto felt uneasy around him, but he put that feeling aside and continued on with Unohana. Once they reached the barracks, he was led to an empty patient room and told that he was to wait there until it was all settled. Naruto, not wanting to get on the Taicho's bad side, reluctantly agreed. Once she left, he was immediately pulled into his mindscape by his mother.

Inner World

Naruto's inner world was that of the Village of Konoha. He had arrived in his old apartment complex and headed towards the Hokage Tower to see his parents. He had noticed that things seemed to be more detailed in his mindscape such as the stores, the streets, and the overall atmosphere. It seemed more… peaceful, which was strange to him.

Once he had reached the Hokage Tower, he noticed that the reiatsu sources of his parents were joined by 3 other sources. Curious about the whole thing, he ascended to the roof of the tower where he saw his parents, a man-sized cage holding a shadowy replica of himself (Kurama), and three cloaked figures that had every inch of themselves covered. The only thing he had noticed about them, to his surprise, was the sight of the Rinnegan in the eyes of them all. He turned to his parents to question it, but was shocked to see that they had the Rinnegan as well.

"What's going on? How do you all have the Rinnegan, and who are these three?" asked Naruto.

Kurama, surprisingly, was the one who answered. **"You've gained the Rinnegan through your Zanpakuto, Naruto. You were always able to awaken the Rinnegan, but your Uzumaki blood wasn't strong enough to do it on its own. So, since your mother is a full-blood Uzumaki and you have her powers sealed in her Zanpakuto, your Uzumaki blood containing the Rinnegan was awakened."**

Naruto was shocked at that and turned to his parents for confirmation, which they responded by nodding their heads. He then turned back to Kurama and asked, "Okay, and these three are?" He pointed to the three figures standing near Kurama's cage.

Instead of answering verbally, Kurama just waved his hand in a dismissive manner and the three figures walked up to Naruto. Two of them were a little shorter than himself while the last was at least a head taller.

The first figure then chuckled in a feminine voice so familiar to Naruto that he froze. "It's good to see you again… otouto." The figure then took off the shadowy cloak and revealed the form of the one Naruto saw as his older sister: Anko Mitarashi. She was dressed in her usual attire, except that her hair was down, and was smiling warmly at Naruto, who remained frozen.

The figure next to Anko laughed in another familiar voice and said, "Geez gaki, I haven't seen that look since you were named one of the Division Leaders of the Shinobi Alliance." This figure revealed the form of Naruto's godmother: Tsunade Senju. Like Anko, she was dressed in her usual attire, except for the lack of ponytails, and was also giving a warm smile.

The last figure laughed out loud and said, "You sure grew up nicely, Naruto. Just like I knew you would." This figure had a male voice and revealed the form of Naruto's godfather: Jiraiya the Gama Sennin. He too was dressed in his usual attire, only his headband had the kanji for "Soul" instead of "Oil" and gave Naruto a small grin.

Naruto was still frozen for practically an eternity before he finally choked out, "N-Neechan? Baa-chan? S-Sensei? Is it… Is it really you?" He had tears threatening to leak from his eyes and was desperate to hear the answer.

Anko's smile grew before she stepped up to him and embraced him in the same hug she gave him many times when he was younger. Tsunade joined in on the hug while Jiraiya put a comforting hand on his apprentice's shoulder. There was no doubt now; they were real. At that fact, Naruto broke down and embraced them all tightly, as if he was afraid to lose them all a second time.

After a while, they separated and Naruto asked, "How is this possible? Shinigami-sama told me that only my parents and Kurama were coming with me. How are you all here?"

Anko smirked and said, "We are here because we are related to the second form of your Zanpakuto, Naruto. We were called on by your soul and Shinigami-sama was able to transfer our souls to yours; just like he did with your folks and the Kyubi. He explained everything that happened after your death and allowed us to come here to be together with you." Her smirk turned back to a warm smile, "Death was not as peaceful without you, otouto. We couldn't go on to our 'eternal rest' without you, so, the three of us decided to become your power, just like your parents are."

"Wait, does this mean that you all are going to become Zanpakuto?" asked Naruto.

"No gaki, we are going to be connected to your already existing Zanpakuto, "explained Tsunade. "We will be connected to your bankai."

"That means that you have us with you again, Naruto, "Jiraiya stated. "We aren't going anywhere, so long as you keep going and don't get yourself killed."

Kushina then said, "Your bankai training will begin once again, Naruto-kun. And this time…"

"…The _five_ of us will test your strength and resolve, "finished Minato.

Suddenly, weapons flashed into the hands of the five souls. Minato had the Hiraishin kunai, Kushina had the katana of Uzuhime, Anko had a tanto that had its blade in the shape of a snake fang, Tsunade had spiked gauntlets that had the kanji for "Slug" on them, and Jiraiya had a sword reminiscent of the one that Gamabunta used.

"Get ready, otouto, "Anko said with a grin.

"We aren't going to take it easy on you, "Tsunade stated while cracking her knuckles.

"It's time to show me that you truly are my apprentice, "Jiraiya said with a confident smirk.

Naruto stared at them all before he closed his eyes with a smile and the fused weapon of his Zanpakuto appeared in his hands. He got in a ready stance with his sword held over his left shoulder with the blade curving downward (1) and replied, "I won't lose."

His bankai training was now about to truly begin.

(End)

1- Sephiroth's battle stance from the Final Fantasy series.

Well, Naruto has regained the souls of the ones he held closest to his heart. He now has (to recap) the souls of his parents, sister figure, and godparents. They all have the Rinnegan and they are connected to his bankai! (If you guys can't figure out the bankai by now, then I'm at a loss for words…) Anyways, don't forget to R&R people!

Next Time: Naruto undergoes his bankai training and learns how to utilize his ever-growing power. Stay Tuned!

That's all for now! Laters!

-pain17ification


	13. Chapter 13: Bankai and Interrogation

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Naruto trains for Bankai and is brought before the Sotaicho for questioning.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

AN: I don't think you all want to see the canon fights for the rest of the group, so for the next few chapters, I'm just gonna focus on Naruto. Sound good?

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 13: Bankai Achieved and Interrogation

Inside of his mindscape, Naruto was in the middle of a 5-on-1 fight between his parents, godparents, and sister vs. himself. The five people in his soul were training the red-blonde for his Bankai by going all out against him. The test to attain Bankai was to discover what part of the Rinnegan Naruto had for himself. This confused Naruto for a bit until he remembered that Nagato had six bodies acting as the Rikudo Pain (Six Paths of Pain) when he was in the Akatsuki.

So all Naruto had to do was figure out which "Path" he was; piece of cake.

*clang*

At least, that's what he thought before he was dragged into the mother of all training sessions.

He was currently locking blades with his mother before he had to use _Substitution_ with a nearby piece of rubble to dodge a flying kick from Tsunade. The kick obliterated the rubble and Naruto was sighing in relief that it was not him who got kicked. He then flashed away from his position in a tree to dodge Anko's _Striking Shadow Snakes_ technique. The Child of Prophecy then turned quickly, _Rasengan_ in hand, to clash his technique with Jiraiya's own _Rasengan_. The two jutsu crashed into one another and exploded, causing the two attackers to fly away from the shockwave. Naruto recovered quickly and clashed his blade with his father's kunai. The two were trapped in a deadlock, causing sparks to fly with the tiniest of movements.

"You've done well so far, son, "Minato praised Naruto.

"Thanks, but I know that this session is far from over."

Minato chuckled and replied, "True, very true."

The two Namikaze then jumped away from one another and Naruto swung his sword with a cry of "_Suiton: Nine Dragon Assault_!" From the sword came a torrent of water that split itself into nine separate _Water Dragons_ that flew at Minato, causing the Yellow Flash to throw his Hiraishin to Kushina. She caught it and waited for Minato to appear next to her. Once he did, she launched her own jutsu: _Suiton: Great Water Shark Bomb Jutsu_!

The water from Kushina's attack formed a gigantic water shark that clashed with the nine dragons. The techniques met in an explosion of water that began to flood the village. Naruto then appeared behind his parents in a flash and was about to strike, but he was caught by a snake that wrapped around his neck and threw him towards a waiting Tsunade. The blonde Sannin reared back her fist and landed a heavy hit to Naruto's face that sent him flying through multiple buildings at insane speeds. He was then blindsided by a _Massive Rasengan_ from Jiraiya that crushed him into the ground, causing a huge crater to form.

The other four appeared next to the Gama Sennin and Anko asked, "Think we overdid it a little?"

Tsunade waved her off and said, "Please, the gaki has taken much worse than that."

The ground beneath their feet started quaking with tremendous force and, from the crater, Naruto stood and unleashed a huge burst of reiatsu. The force of it all made the wind whip around the five of them and push them back slightly. Naruto's eyes blazed with the Rinnegan and he said, "We're not done yet…"

He then disappeared in a yellow flash and left them trying to locate his location. Suddenly, five flashes of yellow appeared behind them and they were all hit by a _Rasengan_ from Naruto and four clones. The group was sent flying into five separate directions and Naruto had his clones go after a different target while he went against his father.

Clone 1 vs. Anko

Anko regained her bearings and saw a smirking Naruto in front of her. She smirked back and asked, "Finally decided to separate the five of us, eh, otouto?"

The clone shrugged and said, "I wanted to see how I'd fair against the five of you at once. Let me tell you now: worst choice I've made in a long time."

Anko laughed at that and replied, "Well, c'mon Naruto and show me just how strong you are compared to your neechan!"

The two then clashed in a shower of sparks. The both of them had matching grins on their faces and were thoroughly enjoying their fight. Naruto then launched his _Reiatsu Chains_ at Anko and she countered with her _Shadow Snakes_. Naruto kept at it with a _Water Dragon_ that was evaded. She retaliated with a _Fire Dragon_ that was countered by a well-timed _Rasengan_ that made it disappear in a swirl of fire.

Naruto and Anko then smiled wider as they prepared their final attacks. Naruto fired off another _Nine Dragon Assault_ and Anko launched a high level fire technique called _Katon: Roaring Phoenix_. The mystical bird crashed into the nine dragons and the two techniques battled for dominance. Finally, the fire technique lost the clash, at the expense of eight of the nine dragons, and the last dragon crashed into Anko. The dragon devoured her in a torrent of water and crashed her into a nearby building.

When the water disappeared, Anko was seen leaning against the building in a new outfit. Her hair was still down and she still had her trench coat, but she gained an attire similar to Naruto's; only her vest was a deep violet color and her coat had the kanji for "Human" on the back.

She looked to her brother with her Rinnegan eyes and said, "Nice job, otouto. You finally managed to beat your neechan."

Naruto smiled to her and joked, "Yeah and it only took a lifetime to do so."

They both had a good laugh at that.

Clone 2 vs. Tsunade

Tsunade was in the middle of a game of "Cat and Mouse" with the Naruto she was facing. He was evading her super strength attacks with his high speed. Finally, he turned to meet a punch head-on; a feat that surprised the Slug Sannin. The two fists collided, creating a shockwave from the force of the impact. After they jumped away from each other, Naruto noticed that his fist was bloody and stinging in pain from the spiked gauntlets Tsunade had.

He laughed at that and joked, "I thought your strength alone was bad enough, but now you have spiked knuckles to increase the damage."

She laughed at his comment and replied, "Well, you never listened even when I punched you like I did Jiraiya. So, I figured that adding some extra kick to my punches would get the message across."

Naruto shook his head in amusement and rushed Tsunade, who responded in kind. He decided to save his fists some pain and use his sword against the blonde Sannin. Sparks were flying as the blade met the gauntlets blow for blow. Tsunade was swatting the sword aside and constantly trying to home in on Naruto so that she could land a decent hit, but he was to evasive and dodged every attempt. She then tried a new tactic and grabbed the blade instead of pushing it aside. She then pull Naruto in and decked him across the face, sending him hurtling through a nearby building.

The clone rubbed his cheek and thought, 'Good thing we're a lot tougher in the boss's mind or else he would have some serious problems in this fight.'

The clone then started moving at high speeds in a circle around Tsunade, forcing her to try and anticipate his next move. Unknown to her, Naruto had a _Reiatsu Chain_ stabbed in the earth near her feet and it wrapped around her quickly due to his high speeds. He then swung her around like a whip and had her crash through several buildings before he flashed behind her and hit her in the back with one final _Rasengan_ to end their fight. The jutsu plowed her into the ground and created an explosion of smoke and debris.

When it cleared, Tsunade's outfit had changed like Anko's had. Her hair gained its old ponytails, her green coat changed to a tan color, and her attire turned into something similar to Naruto's; only her vest was bluish white, to represent the slugs she once summoned, and her coat had the kanji for "Naraka" on the back.

She looked up to Naruto and said, "Nice moves, gaki. I never thought you'd be able to get the better of me."

Naruto smirked and replied, "It was bound to happen someday, baa-chan. I'm just glad that I get to see you again."

"Me too, brat. Me too…"

Clone 3 vs. Jiraiya

Naruto dodged another _Fire Dragon_ and launched his _Water Dragon_ in retaliation. Jiraiya dodged it and rushed Naruto, who met him halfway and clashed his sword with Jiraiya's, crating sparks between the two weapons. The two jumped back and readied their next jutsu: the _Rasengan_. The two jutsu collided and blew the attackers back from the force of the impact, sending them flying into two separate buildings.

Naruto then exploded out of the building he crashed into and launched his _Nine Dragon Assault_ at his old teacher. Said teacher used his _Massive Rasengan_ as a large-scale shield to dispel all nine of the water dragons. The Gama Sennin then launched another _Fire Dragon_ towards Naruto who used the _Water Encampment Wall_ to block it before launching _Reiatsu Chains_ at Jiraiya. Jiraiya barely dodged the high speeds of the chains before launching a _Grand Fireball Jutsu_ at Naruto. Naruto jumped over the fireball, but came face-to-face with Jiraiya in midair and was unable to dodge or block the kick to his stomach. The blow sent Naruto back to the ground, but the red-blonde was able to correct himself in midair and land safely in a crouch.

The two sages eyed one another before Jiraiya asked, "Hey Naruto, since this is your mind and all, do you think you could let us go into Sage Mode for one final clash?"

Naruto was surprised at the question, but nodded in the affirmative before closing his eyes and concentrating. A bright green aura surrounded them both and they started to change.

Jiraiya grew a goatee, a bulbous nose with warts, webbed hands and feet, sharp teeth, and toad shaped eyes. Naruto, on the other hand, gained an orange pigmentation around his eyes. The eyes themselves gained yellow irises and horizontal, black pupils in the likeliness of a toad.

Jiraiya chuckled and said, "No holding back on me, Naruto."

Naruto nodded and concentrated on his ultimate Sage Jutsu: _Senpo Fuuton:_ _RasenShuriken_ (Sage Art Wind Style: Spiral Shuriken). Jiraiya prepared two _Massive Rasengans_ to counter his apprentice's jutsu and rushed him. What Jiraiya didn't count on was Naruto hurling the _RasenShuriken_ at him. This act forced the Gama Sannin to use his _Rasengans_ as a shield, but the _RasenShuriken_ easily broke through them and exploded in an influx of chakra and wind blades. The jutsu tore through Jiraiya and caused a massive amount of debris and smoke to form.

When the smoke cleared, Jiraiya was seen in an outfit similar to Naruto's but with an orange-green vest and a tan coat with the kanji for "Animal" on it. He looked to his old student and stated, "It looks like the student has indeed surpassed the teacher. You did well, Naruto."

Naruto chuckled softly at his sensei and replied, "You taught me well, Ero-Sennin."

Jiraiya laughed at that and said, "I guess I did, huh?"

Clone 4 vs. Kushina

Naruto and his mother were in the middle of a flooded area launching a wide variety of Suiton jutsu at one another ranging from _Water Dragons_ and _Water Sharks_ to _Water Shockwaves_ and _Water Bullets_. Kushina decided to end the stalemate by surrounding her blade in whirling water and Naruto responded in kind. The two then clashed blades and the high-speed rotations of the water swords caused the impacts to much more powerful.

On about the 8 of 9th impact, they stopped and launched _Reiatsu Chains_ at one another. Each of their chains was blocked by a chain from their opponent, so no ground was cover by the two of them. Kushina then formed a formed a _Rasengan_ in her left hand and had her sword absorb its energy, making the blade become surrounded in swirling reiatsu. Her blade clashed with Naruto's, and this time, his blade was pushed back easily.

She looked at her downed son and said, "You're good, Naruto-kun. Much better than I had hoped you'd be. I'm proud of you."

He got up and smiled to her. "Glad I made you proud, kaa-san. I've always strived to prove myself, and this is just another one of those times!" he cried while lunging at Kushina.

Kushina blocked all of his blows with ease and was able to push him back with no problem, thanks to her _Rasengan Blade_. She was caught by surprise though when Naruto flashed in front of her and used his own _Rasengan Blade_ against hers, bringing them to a standstill once again. The blades created shockwaves with every clash and whipped up the wind and water around them, turning the area into a maelstrom.

The two were fighting with more vigor inside of the maelstrom and a hurricane formed around them, which picked up pieces of debris and rubble. Naruto gained an idea and kept up his assault against his mother until a stray piece of rubble swerved around and appeared behind her. He then used the _Substitution Jutsu_ to replace himself with the rubble and hit Kushina with a _Rasengan_. The jutsu pushed Kushina towards another piece of rubble and Naruto repeated his attack pattern. This kept up for about three more times before Naruto performed an axe-kick into Kushina's stomach and sent her crashing towards the water below.

The impact created a massive wave of water and mist and Naruto landed just outside of it. Once it cleared, Kushina was dressed just like the others, coat and all, and her vest was a blood red color. Naruto's, on the other hand, changed from crimson to dark orange and he noticed that Kushina's coat had the kanji for "Preta" on it.

She walked up to Naruto, embraced him, and softly said, "Well done, Naruto-kun. You really are our child, dattebane."

Naruto returned the embrace and replied, "Of course I am, dattebayo."

The two had a good laugh at the sound of their old verbal tics.

Naruto vs. Minato

The real Naruto was currently in a _Rasengan_ clash with his father. The two were throwing _Rasengans_ left and right and clashing with one another, causing massive shockwaves and blowbacks with each clash. On about the 15th clash, Minato spoke up and said, "I see you've mastered my old jutsu. That's my boy…"

Naruto chuckled and asked, "Well, what did you expect? I mean, after all, I _am_ your son, right?"

Minato just chuckled with his son and then the two clashed _Rasengans_ once again. After they were blown back into another pair of buildings, they pulled out their weapons and charged at one another. Sparks flew, clothes were torn, and cuts appeared all over them as they clashed constantly. Minato then hit Naruto with a palm thrust to his chest and a seal array appeared where the blow hit.

Naruto looked down at the seal and said the one thing that came to mind: "Fuck…"

Minato smirked and unleashed his assault on Naruto by repeatedly flashing to his location and kicking him, punching him, or hitting him with a _Rasengan_. Naruto was being tossed around like a rag doll and couldn't properly defend against his father's attacks.

'Damn it… Is this how I'm gonna end; by failing against my father?' he thought as he kept taking blows. Unknown to him, his Rinnegan eyes gained their third and final ring and he roared in his mind, 'No way!' Reiatsu the exploded from him and he cried out, "_Shinra Tensei_!"

The reiatsu unleashed itself with a large scale shockwave that threw Minato back and sent him crashing through several different buildings and left Naruto standing in a crater. Naruto then dropped to a knee and observed the aftermath of his technique. The buildings were reduced to rubble, the earth was left in a state of utter destruction, and his father was blown back like he was nothing more than a fly.

He then sensed the others and saw that they were all dressed similarly, even Minato. His vest was a golden yellow and his coat had the kanji for "Asura" on it. He then looked down at his own clothes and saw the kanji for "Deva" on it.

"So Naruto, what do you think of your Bankai?" asked Minato.

Naruto was quiet for a bit before he smiled in confidence and said, "It seems fitting. So, you're all my 'Paths' then?"

They nodded and Kushina said, "I'm sure you remember that Nagato used 6 puppets for his 'Paths', right?" At his nod, she continued, "Then you should also remember that Nagato himself acted as the 'Outer Path'. Your Bankai lacks that Path simply because it is unneeded. The Outer Path of Pain was merely the root that connected all of the other Paths together. We all represent a separate Path, and our souls _combined_ represent the Outer Path."

Naruto nodded in understanding and asked, "So what is our Bankai called?"

The five of them looked to one another before smiling at Naruto and replying simultaneously, "Hi no Ishi (The Will of Fire)."

Naruto smiled back and said, "That sounds perfect."

Outside of the Mindscape

Unohana was curiously watching Naruto as he was surrounded in a barrier created by his two Zanpakuto. She watched him for well over an hour as his swords pulsed with reiatsu and shook the barrier from the inside. She was surprised that Naruto was able to remain perfectly still in his Lotus Position throughout all of the reiatsu pulses.

Suddenly, the swords glowed brightly and began merging while still in their sealed states. They changed from two separate katana swords into a single nodachi sword. The blade had no sheathe and was easily as long as the red-blonde was tall. The guard looked to be in the shape of a cross in the shape of leaves, the handle was wrapped in a white cloth, and a tassel of black cloth started from the pommel of the sword and wrapped itself around the blade.

After the sword appeared, the barrier fell and Naruto woke up from his meditative position. He then turned to Unohana and smiled to her while saying, "I did it."

She was confused at his statement and asked, "What did you do, Naruto-san?"

He only said one word that shocked her completely, "Bankai."

She didn't know what to say. He just admitted to achieving the ultimate form of the Zanpakuto after training to gain it by meditating and training in his mindscape. She couldn't help but smile and said, "That's great news, Naruto-san. You must be very proud." He nodded to her and stretched his stiff joints before he caught sight of his sword. He picked it up and eyed it curiously before Unohana said, "Your two Zanpakuto merged into that sword you're currently holding. I don't know if it will affect your old Zanpakuto, however."

Naruto nodded in understanding and mentally asked his tenants, 'Has it affected them at all?'

Kushina responded, "No, it hasn't. You merely need to focus on the form you want the Zanpakuto to take while calling out the respective name. However, you won't be able to ascend to Bankai unless you're using the fused weapon. The fused weapon is called 'Uzukage' (Whirling Shadow)."

Naruto nodded and mentally thanked his mother before asking Unohana, "So, has anything happened, Unohana-Taicho?"

"Yes, you are to come with me. We're going to see the Sotaicho in regards to your arrival and the illusion you broke."

Naruto nodded and said, "Lead the way then, Unohana-Taicho."

Taicho Meeting Chamber

Currently, 9 of the 13 Captains of the Seireitei were awaiting the arrival of Unohana-Taicho and the ryoka that let himself be captured. Zaraki-Taicho was being looked over by the 4th Division, Kurotsuchi-Taicho was currently restoring himself in his lab, and Aizen-Taicho was either dead or MIA.

The news of an illusionary Aizen stabbed to death disturbed Yamamoto. He was surprised when Hitsugaya-Taicho told him that a ryoka broke the illusion. This made him suspicious that the ryoka was trying to make the Seireitei destroy itself from the inside, but when Unohana, and surprisingly Sui-Feng, supported him, he decided to bring him in for questioning.

The doors of the chamber opened up and Unohana was followed by a tall young man with red-blonde hair that wore a tan trench coat, black clothing, a dark orange vest, a headband with the kanji for "Soul" on his left bicep, and a necklace with a green jewel on it. Yamamoto noticed that the man had easily Captain level reiatsu and followed Unohana with a look of confidence. Unohana then told the man to stand in the middle of the Captains while she took her place and he complied without question. He also noticed, surprisingly, that Sui-Feng had look of worry on her face.

"You wanted to ask me a few things?" he asked the Sotaicho.

Yamamoto nodded and said, "State your name."

"Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze: ex-shinobi of Konohagakure, Child of Prophecy of the Elemental Realm, and currently intruder of the Seireitei."

This got many people to raise an eyebrow in confusion. Yamamoto ignored them and asked, "Are you the one who dispelled the illusion of the deceased body of Sosuke Aizen?"

Naruto nodded and replied, "I dispelled the illusion, but I didn't know the name of the man who was supposedly dead."

"Do you know the location of the other ryoka?"

"No I do not, and I'd appreciate you not calling us 'ryoka' anymore, Sotaicho-dono."

Yamamoto ignored the extra comment and asked, "How do we know that you did not create the illusion of Aizen-Taicho's death?"

"As I told the Shinigami there at the time, I know for a fact that no one in my party is capable of illusion based techniques and I am only able to see and dispel them. My Zanpakuto is a combat type; not a support type."

"I was under the impression that you had two separate Zanpakuto. Why do you only have a single one with you?"

"My Zanpakuto merely fused from two swords to a single one. I still have the same abilities and powers."

"Show me, "Yamamoto ordered.

Naruto nodded and pulled off the nodachi on his back. The black wrappings unraveled themselves and he said, "Streak, Hiraishin." The nodachi then shrank down to the size of a combat knife with three prongs and a design of some sort on the handle. Then Naruto called out, "Whirl about, Uzuhime." The knife then changed into a simple katana with a spiral shaped guard and a red-clothed handle. Finally, Naruto said, "Merge your souls, Uzukage." The katana then changed into what looked like a double-bladed mix of the first to transformations before Naruto reverted the Zanpakuto back into its sealed state. "Satisfied, Sotaicho-dono?"

The Head Captain nodded and asked, "What have you done during your arrival into the Seireitei?"

Naruto was quiet for a second before he answered, "I landed near the 2nd Division barracks before Sui-Feng-Taicho noticed me and we fought for a while. She had me pinned before I somehow convinced her to let me go. As soon as she did, I left the area."

Yamamoto turned to Sui-Feng and asked, "Is his story true, Sui-Feng-Taicho?"

She nodded and replied, "Hai, Sotaicho-sama. He convinced me to let him go before he left. He swore that he meant no harm and I saw nothing but truth in his eyes, so I let him go."

The Sotaicho then turned back to Naruto and said, "Continue, Namikaze-san."

"After I left, I rested for the night and kept moving in the morning. I noticed a Taicho with spiked hair fighting against one of my comrades. I merely observed and came into contact with Lt. Kusajishi before I left the area and appeared where the illusionary body of Aizen was. I witnessed the young Taicho, "he pointed at Toshiro, "stepping in and taking charge of the situation. He then noticed me and questioned me before he left to inform you and I left with Unohana-Taicho."

Yamamoto asked for confirmation from the Captains in question and received affirmative responses. He then asked, "Why exactly did you let yourself get captured? You seem capable of easily evading our security forces."

Naruto smiled and said, "I felt that I could possibly assist you in uncovering the source of the illusion. I believe that it is an act from the inside and my talents in breaking illusions will most definitely come in handy."

"And I suppose that you'd want something in exchange for your assistance?"

Naruto nodded and said, "Two things: Rukia Kuchiki's freedom and a guarantee that my comrades and I have safe leave from the Seireitei. I'll even offer my services to you every now and then, as a mercenary of sorts."

Yamamoto was quiet for a few minutes as he thought over the offer. The other Captains were curious about his answer, even Byakuya, and were murmuring amongst themselves. Sui-Feng kept giving Naruto worried looks and he gave her a reassuring smile while Unohana watched the whole interaction. She smiled at the obvious connection that the two seemed to have and hoped for the best.

Finally, the Sotaicho had his decision and cleared his throat so he could speak. Once it was quiet and he had everyone's attention, he said, "Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze… Your deal for Rukia Kuchiki's freedom, as well as the freedom of you and your comrades, in exchange for your assistance now and possibly in the future is…

(End)

Ha! Evil cliffhanger technique at its finest! I'm so cruel…

Anyways, the chap is done, folks! So, what did you all think? Was it good, bad, or meh? How about the Bankai training? Did I do that okay? Your reviews and responses matter people! So, please R&R!

Next Time: The Sotaicho makes his decision. Will he accept or not? Stay Tuned!

That's all for now!

-pain17ification


	14. Chapter 14: A Fox's Assistance

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, Naruto is given an answer about his offer to the Sotaicho.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Kyubi/Hollow speech"**

'**Kyubi/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

_Last Time:_

_Naruto smiled and said, "I felt that I could possibly assist you in uncovering the source of the illusion. I believe that it is an act from the inside and my talents in breaking illusions will most definitely come in handy."_

"_And I suppose that you'd want something in exchange for your assistance?"_

_Naruto nodded and said, "Two things: Rukia Kuchiki's freedom and a guarantee that my comrades and I have safe leave from the Seireitei. I'll even offer my services to you every now and then, as a mercenary of sorts."_

_Yamamoto was quiet for a few minutes as he thought over the offer. The other Captains were curious about his answer, even Byakuya, and were murmuring amongst themselves. Sui-Feng kept giving Naruto worried looks and he gave her a reassuring smile while Unohana watched the whole interaction. She smiled at the obvious connection that the two seemed to have and hoped for the best._

_Finally, the Sotaicho had his decision and cleared his throat so he could speak. Once it was quiet and he had everyone's attention, he said, "Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze… Your deal for Rukia Kuchiki's freedom, as well as the freedom of you and your comrades, in exchange for your assistance now and possibly in the future is…"_

Chapter 14: A Fox's Assistance

"…Accepted," Yamamoto finished.

His answer was met with wide eyes from all of the Captains, except Gin and Tosen, as well as Naruto himself. No one expected the Sotaicho to even consider the offer, so to accept it came to them as a big surprise. Naruto was fully expecting having to fight his way out of the building, so he was both surprised and relieved.

Gin and Tosen were slightly worried on the inside. This would definitely put a wrench in Aizen's plans. 'I have to warn him, 'they both thought to themselves.

"However, "began the Sotaicho, "You will be accompanied by a Taicho and their Lieutenant at _all_ times, otherwise the deal is off and I will deliver the judgment _personally_. Are we clear, Namikaze?"

Naruto nodded and replied, "Like a crystal. So, who will I be 'partnered' with, Sotaicho-dono?"

Yamamoto was quiet for a second before he answered, "You will be partnered with Sui-Feng-Taicho and her Lt, Marechiyo Omaeda." Sui-Feng stepped forward and nodded to both men. "I trust that this will be acceptable to you, Sui-Feng?"

"Of course, Sotaicho-sama," she replied with a bow.

"Very good. Now, the three of you will start by checking around Aizen's office. There might be something there that we might find interesting. Also, I want a word with both you and our new _associate_ here. You have your orders, now, dismissed!"

"Sir!" all of the Captains replied while Naruto merely nodded in acceptance. Soon, the chamber was empty except for Naruto, Sui-Feng, and the Sotaicho. "So, what did you want to talk with us about, Yamamoto-dono?" Naruto asked.

"I merely wanted you to know that I was strongly thinking of merely denying your offer and throwing you in prison. Accepting it was not to be expected, so I want you to be thankful for your good fortune, Namikaze-san."

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly at that and replied, "I think it should be the other way around, _Sotaicho_. I didn't have to offer my help. I could've just let the Seireitei fall apart, so _you_ had better be thankful." He turned to leave before he looked back over his shoulder and added, "I also could've sped up the process." He then headed for the exit.

"Keep an eye on him, Sui-Feng. He's powerful and unaligned, so that makes him that much more dangerous."

"Yes sir, "she replied with a nod before following the red-blonde.

Once they were both outside, she turned to Naruto and slapped him. He fell from the unexpected blow and yelled out, "What the hell was _that_ for?"

She grabbed him by the vest and lifted him to her level before yelling back, "For being so damn stupid!" Naruto was shocked at that but he didn't get to respond as she continued, "Don't you realize that you were _extremely_ lucky to be even talking to me right now? You were in a room full of 9 Captains _and_ the Sotaicho himself, and yet you're allowed to, not only avoid arrest, but assist us in this issue we're having!" She then hugged him, which shocked him even more, before saying, "I was worried about what would happen to you. I thought that you'd be executed then and there."

Naruto was surprised at that, but he still managed to give a small smile at her worry. 'I guess she _does_ care about me, 'he thought. He then returned the hug and said, "I won't go down _that_ easily, Sui-Feng. Believe it."

She smiled softly and let him go before saying, "I'll hold you to that, Naruto. Now, let's go see that oaf of a man I call my Lieutenant."

Naruto chuckled and replied with an outstretched arm, "Lead the way." She used _Shunpo_ to teleport a short distance away and he followed using the same method. 'Be safe guys, 'he thought to himself.

2nd Division Barracks

Omaeda was lazing around in a tree "observing" the recruits training. He was known by many as the laziest of all the Lieutenants, but he didn't care. It was a sweet gig, and it paid _very_ well. He was interrupted from his lounging by a recruit who asked, "Omaeda-fukutaicho (Lieutenant), are we going to be doing any advanced training today?'

The Lieutenant merely waved him off and replied, "Nah, just keep doing your regular training until the Taicho returns from her meeting."

"But sir, we've been doing the same training for the past few weeks whenever you observe us. We're ready to move on, "the recruit insisted. It was the same routine whenever Sui-Feng-Taicho left for other business. The recruits would do basic drills while the fukutaicho lazed around.

Omaeda was annoyed with the pesky recruit and he yelled, "Are you questioning your superior officer?"

The recruit flinched back a little before he gathered his courage and yelled back, "Maybe I am!"

Omaeda was about to reprimand him before Sui-Feng's voice cried out, "What's going on here? Why are you arguing with the recruits, Omaeda?"

Omaeda was about to respond before he noticed the man standing next to his Taicho. He was tall, easily 6 feet, had red-blonde hair, and _whiskered_ cheeks. He was dressed in a tan trench coat over a black shirt, dark orange vest, black pants, and combat boots. He had a sword wrapped in black a black cloth strapped to his back and he had an aura of confidence and experience about him.

He was taken away from his observation by Sui-Feng repeating her question. He answered, "The recruit was questioning my orders and was about to disobey them. I was about to reprimand him before you showed up with the man next to you, Taicho."

Sui-Feng turned to the recruit and asked, "Is this true?"

The recruit shrunk a little under her gaze but was able to reply, "Yes ma'am, but it was only because we've been going over nothing but the basic drills the entire time you were away. I felt that, since we've gone over them for so long already, that we were ready for the next set."

Naruto silently observed how Sui-Feng ran her Division and he was slightly impressed. The recruits showed her nothing but respect (whether it was from fear or not he'd never know) and she easily took charge of the situation. 'She'd make a great Jonin back home, 'he thought to himself.

Sui-Feng decided to send the recruits back to their barracks since she and Omaeda would have to leave with Naruto and told them to keep watch over the Division while she was away. The recruits acknowledged her order with a salute and headed for the barracks. Sui-Feng then turned to her fukutaicho and said, "The Sotaicho has ordered us to look into the incident with Aizen's false death. This man here is Naruto Namikaze and the Sotaicho has decided to let him assist us. We're going to inspect Aizen's office for anything strange, so let's move."

With her orders delivered, the three of them disappeared in a _Shunpo_, all of them unaware of the pair of glowing yellow eyes observing them. Yoruichi poked her feline head out of her hiding spot and mused to herself, 'Look's like Naruto was able to get the Sotaicho to allow him to help with something. That's a surprise, but Sui-Feng said something about Aizen… I hope you watch out for yourself _and_ Sui-Feng, Naruto, or else you may find yourself stuck in some deep shit…' She then started to heads back to Ichigo to assist him with his Bankai training.

5th Division Barracks

The group of three arrived at the barracks to the sight of the whole Division in a slight panic. Not surprising seeing as they don't have their Taicho _or_ fukutaicho to take charge of the situation.

"Heh, this reminds me of how the army recruits' faces looked like after Kirabi and I showed off our power and took out over a hundred enemy troops in like 5 minutes…" Naruto mused out loud.

Sui-Feng was slightly impressed at the statement and wondered who this "Kirabi" was, but she didn't dwell on it. Omaeda just thought that Naruto was trying to show off and ignored the red-blonde.

Sui-Feng stopped a random Division member and had them point them towards Aizen's office. After being shown where it was, they headed there immediately. Once inside, they saw that it looked very "Spartan" in appearance. It had a simple desk, bookshelf, and sleeping mat. All-in-all, it could've been mistaken for a random Division member's room.

"Search the place, "Sui-Feng ordered. The two men with her nodded and began their search. They looked through the books and desk, but found nothing. Naruto decided to speed up the process and released Uzuhime so that he could gain the Rinnegan eyes. With the legendary dojutsu assisting him, Naruto spotted a hole under one of the tiles on the floor.

"There's a tunnel under that tile there, "he pointed out to the other two. Sui-Feng had Omaeda lift the tile and the entrance revealed itself to them.

"How did we not hear the hollowness of the tunnel entrance?" asked Omaeda.

Sui-Feng looked to Naruto expectantly and he merely pointed to his Rinnegan eyes. She nodded in understanding and said, "Let's see where this leads."

With Yoruichi and Ichigo (underground training field)

Ichigo was in the middle of relaxing from a rough training session with Zangetsu in the hot springs of the strange training area. He was amazed at the Urahara's ability to make a place like this, but he was more focused on wondering about the wellbeing of his companions. Where they safe? Did they get themselves captured… or worse?

He was brought out of his musings by Yoruichi calling out, "Hey Ichigo, how's the water? Everything alright?"

Ichigo responded, "Yeah, it feels great."

Yoruichi smirked to herself behind the orange haired teen and said, "That's good, I'm glad to hear that." She let her scarf fall to the ground and was in the middle of taking off her pants when she continued, "In fact, it sounds so good that I think I'll join you!"

Ichigo unfortunately had some of the spring water in his mouth and sprayed it out at her statement. "W-What the hell are you talking about?"

"Why, what do you mean?"

"Don't 'what do you mean' me! You just took your pants off!"

"So, what's the big deal? C'mon, loosen up Ichigo. You're so tense," she teased the poor boy.

"Hey, knock it off, will ya? Stop making fun of me!" He then began panicking after hearing footsteps approaching the spring. "No! Wait! No! Ah!"

He had his eyes covered when Yoruichi, in her feline form, stepped inside of the spring. In her cat form's masculine voice, she said, "I don't know what you're so worried about." She then saw him nervously uncovering his eyes and asked, "What's wrong now? Are you disappointed? You _are_, aren't you? You little pervert."

Ichigo growled at that and said, "I am going to _drown_ you!"

After the teasing on the teen's part, the two Shinigami talked about Kisuke's old position as the Taicho of Division 12 and his founding of the Seireitei's R&D Department. During the talk, Yoruichi also pulled another joke on Ichigo when she randomly transformed back into her true form. She got a good laugh at that before she told him about what she recently saw outside the training area.

"I saw Naruto," she stated.

"You did? Is he alright?" Ichigo asked her.

"He's fine, but he's assisting the Gotei 13 with something concerning the false death of one of their Taicho. I assume he's helping them uncover who's behind it all."

"Well, we didn't have anything to do about it, right?"

"Of course not!" she snapped at him. "That must be what Naruto's trying to prove to them by helping them find the real culprit." Yoruichi was worried for her surrogate otouto. He was placing himself at risk just to prove the innocence of both the group and himself. She was also worried about how Sui-Feng would react to him and her eventual reappearance. That was a reunion she was _not_ exactly thrilled about expecting.

"Damn… I can't believe he's doing all that for us…" Ichigo mused out loud. "I wonder if he went _this_ far for _all_ of his loved ones…"

Yoruichi smiled softly at that and responded, "Yeah, he did. During his stay at the Urahara Shop, he told me some stories about his previous life. He apparently put _everyone's_ lives before his own and set himself by two life morals. The first was: Those who break the rules/laws are lower than scum, but those who abandon their loved ones are _much_ lower than that."

Ichigo was quietly listening to her. He thought about the first moral and thought to himself, 'I can _definitely_ see the depth of that.'

"The second moral was: Once he makes a promise, he'll put his life on the line and follow through with it to the bitter end," Yoruichi continued. "Naruto's the epitome of the phrase 'One with a Heart of Gold'. To put so much into _anything_ just for the sake of others deserves nothing short of admiration and respect."

Ichigo nodded at that and thought, 'You better make it out of this alive, Naruto.'

With Naruto, Sui-Feng, and Omaeda

Deep within the tunnel leading from Aizen's office, Sui-Feng led Naruto and Omaeda to wherever the hell the tunnel led to. She held up an orb of reiatsu to act as a light to brighten up the pitch black tunnel. Naruto walked behind her and Omaeda followed them both while holding his own reiatsu orb.

"Any idea where this leads to, Taicho," Omaeda asked.

Sui-Feng grew a small tic mark and growled out, "If I knew, we wouldn't be wasting our time in this damn tunnel, Omaeda."

Naruto chuckled quietly and said, "She has a point."

"Shut up!" the fukutaicho yelled at him. "Who are you to talk like that to me? You're just some random grunt the Sotaicho ordered to help us!"

"Let's get one thing straight here, _fukutaicho_: I _offered_ to help. I don't have to be here."

"Then why _are_ you here, huh?"

Naruto didn't answer for a bit before he whispered, "I'm here to help my friends."

Only Sui-Feng heard him and turned slightly to give him a small smile. It was so subtle that, if he wasn't a seasoned shinobi, he would have missed it. He didn't though and returned the smile.

Suddenly, they reached a dead end. "Now what?" asked Omaeda.

Naruto, still using the Rinnegan, saw that the ceiling of the tunnel above them was actually another opening. He pushed it open and allowed Sui-Feng to get out first. She then helped out the other two and they all noticed that they were in a dark chamber-like room. At the other end of the chamber stood the man that the Gotei 13 assumed was dead: Sosuke Aizen.

"Welcome you three," he greeted with a smile. "I'm so glad that you could make it."

Sui-Feng and Omaeda were shocked at this while Naruto narrowed his eyes and tensed himself in preparation for a fight. "S-So you really _are_ alive…" Sui-Feng said quietly.

"A-Aizen-Taicho…" Omaeda said just as quietly.

Naruto growled at the man and pointed an accusing finger at him saying, "So, _you_ are the one responsible for all this! Rukia's capture, her sentence, the fake body… All of it!"

Aizen chuckled at that and replied, "I see that you figured it out. Unfortunately for my plans, I had no idea about you. You were the unknown variable that caused my plans to fall apart, and I don't even know your name."

"My name is none of your damn business!" Naruto yelled while having Uzuhime change into Uzukage. "All you need to know is that you're going to meet your end, right here, right now!"

Sui-Feng was brought out of her shock and glared at the man. "Aizen, you were such a well respected Taicho of the Gotei 13! What is the point of all this?"

Aizen once again chuckled and replied, "Why, to become a god of course."

This shocked the other three. He said it like it was an everyday occurrence. "Are you mental?" Naruto yelled out. "No one can become a god! It's impossible! I've seen hundreds of people try and fail; many of them by _my_ own hands! And you'll fail just like they did, Aizen!"

"Is that so? Well, I would _love_ to see you try and do so, ryoka. However, I have bigger plans to complete; one of which involves Rukia Kuchiki." Naruto tensed at that. "Oh, so she's important to you, eh?" He chuckled again before saying, "Well then, good luck trying to stop me." Before the others could stop him, he disappeared in a _Shunpo_.

"We've gotta stop him!" Naruto yelled. "He's after Rukia!"

Sui-Feng nodded and turned to Omaeda. "Warn the other Captains! Naruto and I are going after that traitor!"

The fukutaicho saluted and sped off. Sui-Feng was about to disappear in a _Shunpo_, but Naruto stopped her by placing a hand on her shoulder and saying, "We'll never catch him with that level of speed. My way is _much_ faster." The two of them then disappeared in a yellow flash and left the chamber.

They had a traitor to stop.

(End)

Wow… Even _I_ am getting pretty excited about this! Aizen has been revealed and he's after Rukia! However, Naruto and Sui-Feng are hot on his trail! What will happen?

Please R&R!

Next Time: Aizen is revealed to be a traitor and the Gotei 13 are gonna try to stop him! Will they succeed or not? And what about Ichigo and the others? Stay tuned!

See ya guys later!

-pain17ification


	15. Chapter 15: Will of Fire Pt 1

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In these next two chapters (meaning 15 & 16), Aizen has made his move and everyone in the Seireitei is out to stop him.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Shinigami or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Shinigami/Hollow speech"**

'**Shinigami/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes/Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 15: The Will of Fire Pt 1

After Aizen left the secret chamber he was hidden in, Sui-Feng sent off Omaeda to warn the Sotaicho and the other Taicho. Naruto then took her along to stop the man from reaching Rukia by using his _Kouyaku_ (Light Dance). They were moving at high speeds, trying to reach Aizen before he made it to Rukia. As he was racing through the streets of the Seireitei, Naruto made a seal-less _Shadow Clone_ that appeared on his left.

"Go and find Yoruichi-neechan! She and the others need to know what's going on and be ready for whatever may happen!" he ordered his copy.

The clone nodded and said, "Hai, Boss!" The clone then went off in another direction to find the werecat.

Sui-Feng, from her position on Naruto's back (which embarrassed her to no end that he was faster than her), was wide-eyed at the order. Naruto knew Yoruichi? Her old master who left her? How did he know her?

Naruto felt her body tense after he ordered his clone to find Yoruichi, so he asked, "Are you alright, Sui-Feng?" She was still silent, so he yelled out, "Sui-Feng!"

She was jerked out of her thoughts by his yell and asked, "You know Yoruichi?"

Naruto nodded and said, "Yeah, she's like a sister to me. We met a few months ago back in the World of the Living. She and I connected on a sibling level before we came here. Why do you ask? Did you know her?"

Sui-Feng narrowed her eyes and replied, "She was my old Taicho… and the ex-head of the Stealth Force and the Shihoin Clan. She betrayed the Seireitei and fled to the Human World."

Naruto shook his head and stated, "You're wrong, Sui-Feng."

"What?"

"She didn't betray the Seireitei. She left to assist her friends who were given a… disease of sorts, and were deemed as traitors. She didn't leave as a person betraying their home; she left as a person aiding their friends in need."

Sui-Feng was silent before she asked, "Did she tell you that?"

"Yes, and I also met the people she helped. They all have expressed their dislike for this place, but they also said that they won't interfere with anything the Seireitei does unless it is overly harmful to others."

"So… She didn't just abandon me?" she asked in a soft voice.

Naruto shook his head and replied, "She mentioned something about an old student of hers that she felt bad about leaving behind. I assume that was you. Anyways, she didn't abandon you, Sui-chan; she merely left to aid her comrades."

Sui-Feng was thrown for a loop. The entire time Yoruichi was gone from her life, she believed that she had been merely discarded; cast aside. But in reality, her old teacher left to assist her friends in need. The 2nd Division Taicho felt ashamed for having so little faith in her former superior, but she also felt relieved that her original thoughts on Yoruichi's disappearance were wrong. Then, she remembered what Naruto called her.

"Any reason you decided to call me 'Sui-chan', Naruto?" she asked in a low voice.

He gulped and replied, "Uh… I thought you wouldn't mind?"

The next thing he felt was a bop to the head followed by a pair of lips pecking him on the cheek, causing him to falter slightly. "It was nice… Naruto-kun." He blushed at that, but then she said, "Don't _ever_ mention this to _anyone_. Get it?"

He swallowed a lump in his throat and had sweat come off his brow as he answered, "Got it."

She patted his head and said, "Good boy," before they continued after Aizen.

Outside the Captain's Meeting Chamber

An alarm was sounded across the Seireitei and the Captains grouped together outside the Meeting Chamber. They were confused at what was happening and were about to ask the Sotaicho, but Omaeda appeared before they could do so.

"Report, Omaeda-san!" ordered the Sotaicho. "Where are Sui-Feng-Taicho and the ryoka assisting the both of you?"

Regaining his breath after coming back at full-speed, Omaeda replied, "Sotaicho-sama! We found Aizen!" The Captains were shocked and Omaeda continued, "He's planning to betray the Seireitei! He says that he plans to become a 'god' and left to get to Rukia Kuchiki before we could stop him!"

Yamamoto was surprised at what the fukutaicho just said. He then turned to the other Captains and ordered, "We are heading to the Senzaikyu! We will stop that traitor by _any_ means necessary! Retrieve your Lieutenants and hurry up!"

"Yes sir!" they all cried before leaving the area in a _Shunpo_. Omaeda left with the Sotaicho to explain what else he and the other two found in Aizen's office. The hunt for the traitor was on. Unknown to them, Gin and Tosen merely headed for the Senzaikyu to assist Aizen.

With Yoruichi and Ichigo

Ichigo was currently in the middle of a few training exercises with his Bankai, Tensa Zangetsu (Heavenly Chain Cutting the Moon). In his Bankai Form, Ichigo's robe was replaced with a long-sleeved, ankle-length shihakusho with red lining that was closed at his chest, then left to flare out into ragged ends, much like that of Zangetsu himself. His cleaver also shrank down to the size of a daito (Japanese long sword) that had a black blade, a black guard and handle with a red trim, and a small black chain at the end of the pommel.

He was moving at incredible speed, fast enough to create multiple afterimages, and was firing off energy waves from his blade. Zangetsu had told him during the training that the attack was called "_Getsuga Tensho_" (Moon Fang Heaven-Piercer). Unlike in his Shikai form which fired off a blue wave, his Bankai form fired off a black wave that had a red outline. The technique also felt somewhat darker in its reiatsu, but Ichigo didn't have time to worry about that at the moment.

Yoruichi was observing Ichigo's training and providing insight and advice every now and then to help out the teenage Shinigami. She was impressed with his progress. Using Kisuke's unique Bankai Training did wonders for the boy. She was interrupted by feeling Naruto's reiatsu signal moving at high speed in the area nearby. Worried, she flared her own reiatsu to help him locate her location.

Feeling the flare from Yoruichi, Ichigo stopped his training and powered down from Bankai. He then asked, "What's wrong?"

Yoruichi was silent and merely waiting for her surrogate otouto to arrive. She felt his reiatsu moving towards her location after her flare and was silently waiting for him to appear. About a minute or two later, Naruto was seen coming down from the ladder leading to the exit and racing toward the two in front of him.

"Neechan! Ichigo! Something big is happening, and the boss wanted me to lead you guys to him!" the clone yelled.

"Boss?" Ichigo asked in confusion.

"I'm a clone of Naruto," the clone replied. "Now c'mon, we don't have time to waste!"

"What's happened?" asked Yoruichi.

"One of the Captains, Aizen, has betrayed the Seireitei and he's after Rukia right now!"

Ichigo tensed before growling in anger and racing to the exit. Yoruichi looked to the clone and said, "Why did he send a clone?"

"He's on his way to Aizen now, along with the 2nd division Taicho, Sui-Feng. He sent me so that he wouldn't have to stop moving. I was supposed to find the others after I told you guys what was going on."

She nodded and said, "Alright, we're on our way then." She then used _Shunpo_ to race after Ichigo and the clone left in a _Kouyaku_.

With Rukia

Rukia was currently thinking over what had recently happened around the Seireitei that she was able to witness. She was taken to the Senzaikyu, she found out that her friends had come to rescue her, she felt Ichigo fighting against Renji and Zaraki-Taicho, she saw a wounded Ichigo appear after Ganju and Hanataro came to bust her out, she saw her brother talk with a woman named Yoruichi, and then she overheard that Ichigo would undergo Bankai Training just to save her. She couldn't help but smile sadly at that. He was going so far, just for her. Her heart clenched at the thought of him getting wounded for her, and she knew that Naruto and the others were fighting just as hard.

"Why? Why are you all trying so hard to free me?" she asked herself. "Am I really that important to you all? Am I really worthy of being fought for? After all I've done in my life?"

She just didn't know what to think of it all. She was ready to face the consequences for her actions, but she was also hopeful that her friends would succeed in freeing her.

"Kami-sama, look at me… I'm wallowing in self-loathing while my friends are risking their lives for me. I'm pathetic…"

"Oh, you are _far_ from pathetic, Rukia," a voice called out. "In fact, you are incredibly important for my plans."

Rukia turned and saw a man that she heard was supposedly dead by overhearing the guards and their conversations. "A-Aizen-Taicho…" she whispered in fear. The look on his face was _far_ from friendly, even if it looked that way.

Aizen chuckled and asked, "Surprised to see me? I'm supposed to be dead after all." He chuckled again and continued, "I'm in need of your assistance, Rukia. You see, you are currently in possession of something very important to me. And I wish to have it back now."

"W-What do you mean?"

"You have a device known as the Hogyoku (Crumbling Orb) sealed inside of you, and I wish to take it from you," he answered. He then pointed his right hand at the door to her call and said, "_Hado #31: Red Fire Cannon_." From his hand, an orb of red reiatsu shot forward and blasted the door apart with its force.

Rukia was pushed back by the force as well and was in greater fear of what was happening. She was apparently in possession of this "Hogyoku" and she had no idea until now. She was brought from fear to terror as Captains Ichimaru and Tosen appeared and did nothing to stop Aizen. In fact, they seemed to be _working with_ him! Not good…

"Ah, Gin… Tosen… Glad you could make it in time," Aizen greeted them.

"Of course we came, Aizen-sama. We are your subordinates after all," Tosen replied.

"Yea well, I came just because things have gotten _very_ interesting around here," Gin commented.

"Regardless of your reasons, I'm still glad you both came," Aizen stated. "Now then, let us claim the key to breaking the boundaries between Shinigami and Hollow."

He was slowly approaching Rukia's frozen form, causing her to internally panic and pray for someone to come and save her.

Suddenly, a heavy reiatsu was filling the area, causing Tosen to flinch, Gin to widen his grin, and Aizen to raise a brow at the level. From behind them, a flash of yellow appeared on the bridge and from it, Naruto and Sui-Feng, who was now standing, appeared. Naruto had Uzukage out while Sui-Feng had Suzumebachi out as well.

Rukia saw Naruto and the look in his eyes as he stared down Aizen and was surprised to see that they were a grayish-purple, including the sclera, with three black rings around the pupil. He also had a tremendous amount of reiatsu; easily Taicho level! 'Naruto, how strong have you become?' she thought to herself.

Aizen smiled at the two newcomers and was about to speak, but another great reiatsu source revealed itself and Ichigo, using the same device he used when reaching the Senzaikyu the first time, appeared. He landed next to Naruto and Sui-Feng, looked to Naruto, and said, "Nice to see you haven't gotten yourself killed, Naruto."

"I could say the same to you, Ichigo. But now's not the time. We have a delusional traitor to take down," Naruto replied.

Ichigo nodded and said, "Yeah, I know…" He then looked to Rukia and said, "Don't worry… We won't let them hurt you, Rukia-chan."

Rukia had a couple tears leak from her eyes at that and smiled to her two friends. She nodded and said, "Just be careful… you idiots."

They smiled back before turning back to the three traitors. Sui-Feng spoke up, saying, "Well, look at this. Gin and Tosen; allies to a traitor of the Seireitei. Why is it that I'm not as surprised as I think I should be?"

"I do not know the answer to that, but I do know that you three are fools if you think that you can stop me from my ambition," Aizen answered her.

Naruto was in the middle of mentally making a strategy. The bridge was far too narrow a space to battle the three of them, so they would have to change scenery to stand a decent chance. "Hey Aizen…" he called out.

"Yes, ryoka?" he responded with the same smile on his face.

Naruto jerked his head toward the direction of Sokyoku Hill and asked, "How about a change of scenery? We don't have nearly as much room as I hoped for. Plus, I'm sure that we are not even a real threat in your eyes?"

Aizen thought it over. It was true; he did not truly see them as a threat, even if their reiatsu levels were impressive. He then said, "Very well, but we will take Rukia with us there."

Naruto nodded and his voice came from behind the three treacherous Captains, surprising them by saying, "I'll take her with us." They turned to see another Naruto holding Rukia bridal style. "Don't worry… I'm merely a clone of the boss there."

Aizen's smile grew slightly as he said, "You're just _full_ of surprises, aren't you?"

The Naruto clone didn't respond. He merely jumped over them and landed next to his boss and the two others while the original Naruto asked, "Are you coming or what?"

Aizen chuckled and said, "Very well then. Tosen, if you please?"

Tosen nodded and used a Kido spell called _Thousand-Coil White Snake_ to transport them all to Sokyoku Hill. The battle would begin there.

(End Pt 1)

Don't worry… Part 2 should be up as well. After all, I decided to work harder this weekend and post, not one, but _two_ chapters! Isn't that awesome? Anyways, don't forget to R&R!

BTW: I'd like to thank _zero02_ for coming up with a name for Naruto's yellow flash: _Kouyaku._

Next Time: Part 2.

Laters!

-pain17ification


	16. Chapter 16: Will of Fire Pt 2

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In these next two chapters (meaning 15 & 16), Aizen has made his move and everyone in the Seireitei is out to stop him. This is the second part.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Shinigami or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Shinigami/Hollow speech"**

'**Shinigami/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes/Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

_Last Time:_

_Naruto jerked his head toward the direction of Sokyoku Hill and asked, "How about a change of scenery? We don't have nearly as much room as I hoped for. Plus, I'm sure that we are not even a real threat in your eyes?"_

_Aizen thought it over. It was true; he did not truly see them as a threat, even if their reiatsu levels were impressive. He then said, "Very well, but we will take Rukia with us there."_

_Naruto nodded and his voice came from behind the three treacherous Captains, surprising them by saying, "I'll take her with us." They turned to see another Naruto holding Rukia bridal style. "Don't worry… I'm merely a clone of the boss there."_

_Aizen's smile grew slightly as he said, "You're just full of surprises, aren't you?"_

_The Naruto clone didn't respond. He merely jumped over them and landed next to his boss and the two others while the original Naruto asked, "Are you coming or what?"_

_Aizen chuckled and said, "Very well then. Tosen, if you please?"_

_Tosen nodded and used a Kido spell called _Thousand-Coil White Snake_ to transport them all to__ Sokyoku Hill. The battle would begin there._

Chapter 16: The Will of Fire Pt 2

The group of seven, eight if you count the clone, quickly arrived at Sokyoku Hill thanks to Tosen's Kido spell. Naruto had his clone hold Rukia off to the side so that she wouldn't be caught in the crossfire. The two groups of three stared one another down and Naruto was racking his brain to come up with a decent strategy.

He was close to having an idea when Ichigo said, "I'll take on the brunette. I won't let him get Rukia-chan."

Naruto shook his head and replied, "No, we need to work together. If we fight separately, we'll be fighting losing battles."

"We don't need to fight to win," Sui-Feng stated. "We need to hold them off until the reinforcements arrive."

Naruto couldn't deny that holding them off seemed to be the best bet… But…

"In that case, we need to go _all out_. No holding back, or else they'll know that we're stalling." The other two nodded and Naruto continued, "Alright Sui-Feng, you take Tosen. Ichigo, you take Gin; the silver-haired one. I'll take Aizen." While Sui-Feng nodded at the plan, Ichigo was about to disagree but Naruto cut him off with, "My Bankai should be able to handle him Ichigo. Trust me."

Ichigo didn't like the idea of letting Naruto take on Aizen, but he seemed very sure of himself. Sighing in defeat, Ichigo replied, "Fine, but you better not get yourself killed."

Naruto smirked and asked, "Who do you think you're talking to? It'll take much more than some ambitious psycho to take me down." Then he thought, 'Even if it was because of one that I died before.'

"Are you done planning?" Aizen asked, breaking them out of their conversation.

"Yeah, and we're ready to take you down."

Aizen chuckled and replied, "Well then, come and try."

Naruto turned to Ichigo and they nodded to one another before jumping in two directions to make room. Ichigo took out Zangetsu and pointed his blade forward while the white cloth wrapped around his sword arm. He placed his left hand on his right bicep and started raising his reiatsu. Naruto held his Zanpakuto in a reverse grip and pointed the katana tip of Uzukage to his heart. He also started raising his reiatsu before he plunged the blade into his chest.

"Bankai!" both of them cried out and everyone was blinded by the dust and smoke created from the reiatsu. When it cleared, everyone was surprised at what they saw.

Ichigo's robe was replaced with a long-sleeved, ankle-length shihakusho with red lining that was closed at his chest, then left to flare out into ragged ends, much like that of Zangetsu himself. His cleaver also shrank down to the size of a daito (Japanese long sword) that had a black blade, a black guard and handle with a red trim, and a small black chain at the end of the pommel.

"Tensa Zangetsu…" he called out calmly.

Naruto's Bankai showed him in his regular outfit holding a nodachi sword. The blade had no sheathe and was easily as long as the red-blonde was tall. The guard looked to be in the design of a cross in the shape of leaves, the handle was wrapped in a white cloth, and a tassel of black cloth started from the pommel of the sword.

What surprised them all even more were the five figures standing next to him. They were all dressed in outfits similar to his, except that their vests were different colored. The blonde man next to him had a golden yellow vest and a three pronged kunai, the redhead woman had a crimson vest and a katana blade, the blonde woman had a bluish-white vest and spiked gauntlets, the white-haired man had a orange-green vest and a large combat knife, and finally the violet-haired woman had a matching colored vest and a tanto blade. All of the extra people had the same eyes as the red-blonde as well.

Together, the six of them called out, "Hi no Ishi."

Aizen stared at the results of the two Bankai and was impressed at what he saw. He knew of Ichigo's since he had been observing his progress in the Seireitei, but Naruto's was very unique as well. It summoned _five_ extra people to aid him in battle and, by the looks on their faces, they were all _deeply_ connected to one another. "Very impressive Bankai, you two. You must have trained very hard to obtain them."

"So, _this_ is Aizen, huh?" Anko asked Naruto.

"Yeah, don't let your guard down for even a second when we face him. His reiatsu levels are high; very high," Naruto warned his partners. He then saw Ichigo's and Sui-Feng's shocked faces and said, "Ichigo, Sui-Feng, meet my family."

Minato smiled and said, "Minato Namikaze; I'm his father."

"I'm his mother, Kushina Uzumaki Namikaze," Kushina greeted.

"I'm the brat's godmother, Tsunade Senju," Tsunade said with a smirk.

Jiraiya grinned and said, "I'm the boy's godfather and sensei, Jiraiya."

Anko had a mischievous grin and greeted, "And I'm the gaki's sexy older sister, Anko Mitarashi!" This caused Naruto to face-palm.

Ichigo broke out of his shock and replied, "I'm his friend, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Sui-Feng also broke out of her shock and greeted, "I'm the Taicho of Division 2 and the head of the Stealth Force, Sui-Feng."

Anko's grin grew wider and she said, "Oh, I think we both know that you're _more_ than that to Naruto. Right, _Sui-chan_?" This caused Sui-Feng to blush and Naruto's partners to laugh quietly.

"If you're done exchanging greetings," Aizen interrupted, "I believe we have a 'fight' to finish."

Everyone turned serious and Ichigo soon disappeared before reappearing behind Gin, making the man have to bring out his sword to block the surprise attack. Sui-Feng also disappeared before kicking Tosen away and chasing after him. Naruto was left to fight Aizen alongside his loved ones. The six of them got into a position where Naruto (Deva) was in the center, Tsunade (Naraka) stood behind him, Anko (Human) stood to his left, Kushina (Preta) to his right, and both Minato (Asura) and Jiraiya (Animal) were in front of him.

"Interesting formation, ryoka," Aizen commented.

Naruto merely raised his right arm and pointed his hand to Aizen before saying, "_Shinra Tensei_," causing the man to be sent back by an invisible force. He got to his feet and looked to Naruto with a slight glare as Naruto said, "Get ready Aizen, because your ambition ends here!"

Ichigo vs. Gin

Ichigo was currently speeding around Gin who was retaliating by using his Shikai, Shinso (God Spear), to lengthen the blade to incredible lengths and run Ichigo through. Every time he hit Ichigo, it only ended up being an afterimage.

"Well, this is pretty boring," he commented as he hit the 9th afterimage.

"What's wrong? Am I not going fast enough for you?" Ichigo taunted. "Just say the word and I'll speed up."

Gin smirked at that and replied, "Cocky kid, aren't ya?"

Ichigo then came in close and fired a _Getsuga Tensho_ at Gin, who dodged and retaliated by shooting Shinso again. Ichigo used his blade to bat the extended weapon aside and launched another spiritual wave at Gin. Gin retaliated by using _Bakudo #81: Severing Void_ to put up a shield of reiatsu to block the attack.

Both men stared one another down before Gin commented, "You know, you are one scary kid. You seem to let off the aura that scares people." Ichigo looked confused at that and Gin continued with, "Are you sure that you're a human? You have Shinigami powers plus I can feel a darker reiatsu source within you."

"What the hell are you talking about? What 'darker' reiatsu?" Ichigo asked.

"**He's right, Ichigo,"** came a voice that sounded like his from his mind. **"You have me inside of you; your true battle instincts! The part of you that isn't afraid to use evil methods to take down those in front of you!"**

'W-Who are you?' Ichigo asked in his mind.

The voice chuckled and said, **"Step aside, **_**King**_**, I'm taking control!"**

Ichigo's body suddenly tensed and the left side of his face gained a white, Hollow-like mask. His eyes also changed by having the sclera turn pitch black and the irises changing to a bright yellow. The Hollowfied Ichigo then looked to Gin and gave him a predatory smirk.

Gin lost the smile he always seemed to have and said, "Yep, definitely one scary kid."

Sui-Feng vs. Tosen

Sui-Feng was currently in a Shikai battle against Tosen. Her Suzumebachi was going against his Suzumushi (Cricket). Both were using high speed techniques against each other and were trying to overwhelm one another. Sui-Feng used her naturally high speed to dodge the speedy attacks of Suzumushi which was able to use a vibrating sound to create hundreds of blades that would attempt to skewer her. She was able to land a few glancing blows on Tosen, but they had little effect on the man.

After a while of dodging and countering, both Shinigami stared one another down and Tosen asked, "Why do you get in the way of our justice?"

"Justice?" she asked back. "You call assisting a traitor, betraying the Seireitei, and fooling the Gotei 13 'justice'? If that truly is your justice, then of course I'm going to stand in the way of it!" She then rushed at him at high speed once again, only this time, she managed to get a hit on him with her Shikai. The hit landed on his left arm and a butterfly mark appeared. "Your so called justice will fail today, Tosen."

Tosen merely scoffed and said, "That is where you are mistaken, Sui-Feng. Bankai: Suzumushi Tsuishiki: Enma Korogi (Cricket Final Form: Devil Cricket)!" Tosen's Shikai had the ring next to its handle glow with reiatsu, expand, and multiply into ten other glowing rings, of similar size, that encircle him. With a slash of his sword, the rings went flying outwards and formed a circular perimeter over the surrounding area. Once in position, the ten rings began to generate a black void that grew in size until it created a large black dome that was centered around Tosen's body and was anchored to the ground with the ten rings.

Sui-Feng was surprised at what was happening and the fact that she couldn't see or hear anything inside of the void. She grew worried and thought, 'I guess the real fight is about to begin.'

Rikudo Naruto (Six Paths Naruto) vs. Aizen

Aizen was currently trying to fight off the many Paths of Naruto's Bankai and was having a bit of trouble. Minato was using the weapons provided as the Asura Path to his full advantage and fighting the traitor up close and personal while Jiraiya, using the ability of the Animal Path, summoned a multi-headed dog with wings to fight. To Aizen's annoyance, every time he cut the dog in two, the two halves would generate new bodies that had fewer heads.

During his dodging, Aizen attempted to fight back by using many different Hado and Bakudo spells against the two against him, as well as the other Paths. Unfortunately for him, the Hado spells were absorbed thanks to Kushina's Preta Path abilities. Anko and Naruto easily took care of the Bakudo spells that hit other Paths. Naruto would also keep Aizen moving by launching a _Shinra Tensei_ every now and then.

Suddenly, Aizen disappeared in a serious burst of speed and cut down the now 20 winged dogs, dispelling them instantly. He wasn't done, however, and continued on by slicing Minato in two from his gut and using _Hado #4: White Lightning_ on Jiraiya, blasting the Animal Path back. Naruto used the Deva Path's ability _Bansho Ten'in_ (Heavenly Attraction of All of Creation) to pull him back with an invisible force and called for Tsunade to use her Naraka Path's restorative abilities to fix Minato.

Naruto then had Anko use her _Striking Shadow Snakes_ to wrap them around him and throw him towards Aizen at high speed. Once she did, he prepared a _Rasengan_ against Aizen and shot it forward using _Hado #1: Thrust_ and increased its speed with a well timed _Shinra Tensei_. The technique stopped Naruto mid-flight and allowed him to land safely away from the force of the newly dubbed _Rasengan Bullet_. Aizen saw the attack coming and was barely able to use _Severing Void_ to block the attack in time. Even with the shield up, the _Rasengan Bullet_ caused it to explode with its force and push Aizen back.

Suddenly, Aizen heard a high-pitched screeching coming from Naruto's direction. He turned and saw Naruto holding an orb of spiraling reiatsu while Jiraiya, who appeared at Naruto's side while Aizen was distracted, provided the shape manipulation and a clone used wind manipulation to make the orb grow in power. The orb soon gained four curve-like prongs that were spinning around it at high speed and increasing the sound of the screeching. Soon, the attack looked like a sharp disk with a spiraling orb in the center.

"Take this Aizen! _Fuuton: RasenShuriken_ (Wind Release: Spiral Shuriken)!" Naruto roared out while launching the technique.

Aizen grew slightly worried at the power behind the attack and used the Kido spell, _Thousand-Coil White Snake_, to transport himself out of harm's way and behind the 6 Paths. Minato was finally restored by Tsunade and was back to full strength. Aizen was breathing slightly harder than normal but was still able to smile at the group of six. "I must admit, I'm very impressed at how well you're performing in your Bankai. It's almost like you've done this your entire life; fighting and battling, that is."

Naruto was quiet for a bit before he replied, "You have _no_ idea…"

Aizen chuckled and asked, "I hope that this isn't all your Bankai is capable of?"

Naruto didn't answer. Instead he motioned for the others to give him some space before clapping his hands together and saying, "Get ready Aizen, because this is another of my more devastating techniques. _Chibaku Tensei_ (Heavenly Body Bursting from the Earth)!" A black sphere of gravity starting forming in his hands before Naruto launched it skyward and focused his reiatsu on it. The other Paths and the Naruto clone holding Rukia used their reiatsu to stick themselves to the ground and Aizen stared at the orb in confusion.

Suddenly, the surrounding earth started breaking apart and moving toward the sphere. The rocks began to crumble and mash together before forming a shell around the sphere while more crumbled earth began moving as well. Rukia was in awe at the force of the attack and its attractive force. She was surprised that Naruto had this kind of power at his disposal. Aizen was also surprised, but couldn't dwell on it since the earth surrounding him was also being assimilated into the rocky sphere. He utilized _Shunpo_ to its full potential and was able to weave his way out of the area of effect before a flash of yellow in front of him blinded him.

Naruto was waiting for Aizen to try and get away from the _Chibaku Tensei_ and when he did, he used _Kouyaku_ to appear in front of him and he held a _Rasengan_ that was pure white and surrounded by a golden ring of reiatsu.

"Eat this: _Jundo Rasengan_ (Purity Rasengan)!" he yelled before thrusting the sphere into Aizen's chest.

Hollowfied Ichigo vs. Gin

Gin was having trouble holding back Ichigo's Hollowfied form and was being pushed back. He didn't have the smile he normally had and was focused solely on holding off the possessed boy. Ichigo was fighting for control of his body and using all of his willpower to do so. He couldn't believe he had an Inner Hollow, but he couldn't dwell on it. He had to regain control or else he may do something that he'll regret later.

He thought of the friends he had to fight for. Rukia, Naruto, Orihime, Chad, Yoruichi, even Uryuu… He couldn't fail them. 'I _won't_ fail them!' he roared in his mind while his body tensed up and stopped attacking Gin. His left hand jerked up and gripped the mask tightly before it began tugging at it. Hollow Ichigo tried desperately to remain in control, but Ichigo was able to overpower him by thinking of all those he was fighting for. Finally the mask tore off and Ichigo saw the pieces crumble away into the wind. He was slightly out of breath and looked to Gin who looked slightly surprised.

Ichigo then sheepishly rubbed the back of his head and said, "Sorry about that. It was an unexpected interruption."

Gin regained his grin and replied, "No worries, kid. Although, I have to repeat that you are one scary kid."

Suddenly, an explosion of reiatsu came from the direction of Naruto and Aizen. The two turned and saw a large rocky sphere floating above Sokyoku Hill and a pillar of white and gold reiatsu piercing the skies. Their fight forgotten, the two hurried to the area.

Sui-Feng vs. Tosen

Sui-Feng had taken many hits inside the void of Tosen's Bankai. She couldn't see, hear, smell, or even sense reiatsu. It annoyed her to no end and was only able to avoid critical wounds by moving as soon as a blow landed. She was losing patience in the void and decided that she had to use her experimental trump card.

Slowly focusing her reiatsu, she surrounded her back and arms with pressurized Kido. The Kido was more focused on her right arm and around Suzumebachi and Sui-Feng focused as much into the area as she could. She then reared her arm back and punched forward, releasing the stored up Kido and blasting it in front of her. The Kido raced to the wall of the void and broke through it, ending Tosen's Bankai. Unfortunately for him, he was slightly in the way of the attack and was wounded deeply on his left side. The void disappeared and the two were back at Sokyoku Hill.

Sui-Feng was about to engage Tosen again when she felt a huge surge of reiatsu and turned to its source. It came from where Naruto was fighting and she saw a pillar of white and gold reiatsu next to a floating sphere of rock. Forgetting her fight with Tosen, she rushed to the area, hoping Naruto was alright. Tosen slowly mad his way to the area as well, concerned for Aizen's wellbeing.

Rikudo Naruto vs. Aizen (after the _Jundo Rasengan_)

The technique Naruto used pierced Aizen in the chest and exploded with white and gold reiatsu before it became a pillar that pierced the skies. Naruto was blown out of the pillar and caught by Ichigo while Aizen was blasted out of it and caught by Gin. Ichigo helped support Naruto while Gin did so for Aizen and the two wounded men glared at one another. Suddenly, the rest of the Gotei 13, even the newly recovered Kenpachi and Mayuri, and their Lieutenants appeared in the area and stood behind the Paths of Naruto. Yoruichi appeared as well, followed by a clone of Naruto that was leading the rest of his comrades to the scene. Finally, Sui-Feng appeared next to Naruto and helped Ichigo hold the red-blonde up. Tosen also appeared and helped Gin support Aizen.

Aizen managed to chuckle weakly as he saw everyone gather. He focused on Naruto and said, "You've lost, ryoka."

Naruto was panting as he replied, "And how… do you figure that… Aizen?"

He then saw Tosen holding a small bluish-purple orb in his hand and the memory of his clone being blindsided by the man and being dispelled came to him. He turned to see Rukia being tended by Unohana.

"Bastard…" he cursed weakly. "You managed to get the drop on me."

Aizen chuckled again before he and his companions were surrounded by a yellow light. They began to slowly rise up towards a Menos Grande that was using a strange technique to retrieve them (1). Aizen slowly managed to stand up straighter, a large scorch mark stinging his chest with every movement, and looked down to the spectators.

He took off his glasses, which crumbled away into dust, and swept back his hair before saying, "Farewell everyone. I plan to stand atop of the world in the heavens and take the place of the absent gods." He then turned to address Ichigo and Naruto. "You two are very interesting for a human and an unknown. I look forward to seeing what you two will do next."

And with that, the group of traitors entered the void behind the Menos and left the Seireitei, heading for their new base of operations:

Hueco Mundo (2).

(End Pt 2)

(1) I believe the technique was called, "_Negacion_"

(2) Spanish for "Hollow World"

And that is that! Aizen has officially left the Seireitei with Gin and Tosen. What did y'all think? Was it good? I hope so… Please R&R! And I hope you like me treating you with _two_ chapters this time!

Next Time: The aftermath of the betrayal. What will be the fate of Naruto and the others now that they are proven innocent? And what does the Seireitei plan to do about Aizen's ambition? Stay Tuned!

As always, see you next time!

-pain17ification


	17. Chapter 17: A Job and Return Home

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". In this chapter, the group returns home, but not before some interesting farewells.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Shinigami or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Shinigami/Hollow speech"**

'**Shinigami/Hollow thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes/Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 17: A Job and Return Home

Naruto was walking down the hall of the 4th Division Hospital looking out for any medics. He was told to stay for at least a couple days, but these people obviously didn't know how quick Naruto can bounce back from a big fight. He was nearly out the door when a small cough froze him in his tracks. He turned to see that it was the 4th Division Taicho.

"And just where do you think you're going, Naruto-san?" asked Unohana with a smile that hid her scariness.

However, Naruto still saw the scary. "Uh… I was leaving?" he proposed nervously.

"Oh, even after I said that you should _rest_?"

He gulped and replied, "Well, I'm all healed up now." He then flexed his right arm to show her. "See?"

She wasn't fazed and asked, "I thought that it was the _doctor_ who knows best?"

He sighed and said, "Alright fine. But I'm wasting my time here _resting_ when I could be training or discussing some things with the old man. I did offer my services as a mercenary, remember?"

"Yes I do, but that can wait. Besides, Sui-Feng-Taicho is resting as well and I'm sure that she would enjoy your company."

Naruto blushed slightly and said, "Well uh… I guess I could… Ya know… Pay her a visit." He then grew sheepish and asked, "Which room is she in?"

Unohana smiled and said, "I knew that you'd see things my way. She's in room #34."

Naruto thanked her and headed for the room. Once he was outside the door, he knocked and heard Sui-Feng say, "Come in."

When he stepped in, he gave her a warm smile and asked, "How are you feeling, Sui-Feng?"

She gave him a small smile and replied, "Much better. Unohana-Taicho fixed me up quickly but told me to rest for one more night."

"Heh, I was told the same thing, even though I'm completely healthy now." He then sat in a chair that was near her bed and said, "I'm glad that you survived, Sui-chan."

She had a slight blush at his worry and replied, "It's not like I haven't fought a hard battle before. I had no real problems."

Naruto smiled at her blush and said, "Still, I'm glad you did. You're one of my precious people, Sui-chan. I'd hate to see you hurt because of me." She looked to him with wide eyes as he continued, "I'm glad that I met you. You helped me more than you realized and I think I helped you just as much. I'm glad it was you I fought first."

Sui-Feng was touched at his confession. She knew that he was right; he _did_ help her a great deal. She also cared a great deal for the red-blonde as well. She didn't think that she'd ever feel this way towards someone before she met him. Without a second thought she reached to him, clutched the collar of his shirt, and pulled him into a fiery kiss that left him stunned. He quickly shook out of it and kissed her back, much to her delight, and the two kept at it for a couple minutes before pulling away for much needed air. Sui-Feng then leaned her forehead against his and looked into his deep blue eyes.

"I'm glad it was you also, Naruto-kun."

Ichigo's Room

Ichigo was resting as well. He was told that he had depleted reserves and some exhaustion, so he was to rest for the night to recover. He was bored out of his mind before he heard a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said and the door opened to reveal Rukia in her Shinigami uniform.

"Hey," she greeted.

"Hey."

She looked nervous and asked, "How are you feeling?"

He smiled and said, "Should be out by tomorrow. Just some depleted reserves and a little exhaustion. I'll be fine." He then asked, "How are you feeling, Rukia-chan?"

She gave him a warm smile and replied, "I feel like a huge weight has just left my shoulders. I still can't believe that I was holding that 'Hogyoku' in me. I'm just glad that I'm not being pursued and that you and Naruto are okay." She stepped over to him and hugged him while saying, "Thank you, Ichigo-kun."

He returned the hug and enjoyed every second of it. "You're welcome, Rukia-chan."

The two then sat and talked for a couple more hours before Rukia left to 'right a wrong' as she put it (1).

Next Morning (Taicho Meeting Chambers)

Currently, all of the remaining 10 Captains were discussing what to do now that Aizen has revealed his plans. Naruto was there as well and was surprised to see Komamura-Taicho without his helmet on, revealing his fox-head to the world. To the Taicho's relief, no one judged him for his looks, only his skills as a Shinigami. Naruto also stated that he would be a hypocrite for judging the fox-headed Taicho.

Yamamoto cleared his throat so that he may speak. After the room was silent, he said, "Now that we know why Aizen has betrayed us, we must come up with a plan of action. But before we do, I must offer my thanks and apologies to you, Namikaze-san. You helped us in a time of need, even when you did not need to, and your group was the first to be blamed. I apologize."

Naruto waved off the apology and replied, "It's no problem, old man. I probably would have done the same thing if I were in your shoes." The Taicho, except for Unohana, were shocked at what the red-blonde called the Sotaicho, but to their greater shock, the man did not seem to mind the title. "Now, I believe that we now have a common enemy and I would like to repeat that my offer still stands. Should my services be needed in the upcoming fights, I will be sure to assist you."

Yamamoto nodded and said, "And I think I shall take you up on that offer. We need a Forward Operating Base (F.O.B.) within the World of the Living and I believe that you could help us by finding a decent area for it. I will come up with a team to help watch out for any suspicious Hollow activity within 'Karakura Town' I believe it is called."

Naruto nodded and said, "I'll make sure that Urahara and Yoruichi-nee know what's going on. I'm sure that they could help by relaying what they already know, so long as you do the same should anything new come up."

Yamamoto nodded and called out, "Hitsugaya-Taicho and Sui-Feng-Taicho…"

"Hai, Sotaicho," they responded.

"You two will be a part of the F.O.B. in Karakura Town. Make sure that you pick at least 4 more to assist you."

"Yes sir."

"One last thing," Naruto interrupted. "Ichigo and I will have certain… 'issues' to deal with when we return. So, we may be out of commission for a bit."

"How long do you estimate?"

Naruto thought about it and answered, "One week, tops."

Yamamoto nodded in agreement and said, "I'll make sure to send them in one week then. Also, Rukia Kuchiki has been released as we agreed upon." Naruto nodded in thanks and the Sotaicho continued, "She will also be sent to resume her duties in assisting Ichigo Kurosaki, our newest Shinigami Daikou (Substitute). You are to present this badge to him the next time you see him."

Naruto was given a tan badge that had the design of what looked like a Hollow Mask on it with an "X" behind it. Naruto pocketed the badge and said, "I'll make sure to give it to him." He then bowed and said, "If that is all, I'll take my leave." Naruto soon left the chambers and Shunsui took this moment to comment.

"That man's gonna go far, Yamamoto-Jiji; him and his friend. They both have amazing potential and drive, not to mention they both achieved Bankai in record time."

Jushiro nodded in agreement and said, "They certainly have the experience now that they had to fight Aizen and the other two." He thought about it for a second and suggested, "Why not offer them Taicho positions, sensei?"

Yamamoto hummed in thought at the suggestion and said, "Perhaps they may be offered one in the future. But, not now…"

Kenpachi laughed and said, "I don't really care what those two do. I just wanna have a shot at that Naruto guy. Only a day and he's already back on his feet. Now that is something."

The other Captains merely shook their heads at Kenpachi's antics and dispersed from the chambers. Hitsugaya went to find a suitable team and had a few hopefuls already in mind.

Next Day (day of return)

The group of six was standing at the senkaimon preparing to leave. Naruto gave Unohana a hug goodbye and gave Sui-Feng a farewell kiss on the cheek. He then remembered a promise he made to a certain pinkette and went over to Kenpachi.

"Yo, Zaraki-Taicho is Yachiru-chan around?" he asked the tall Captain.

Before he could answer, the girl propped herself up on his shoulder and gave Naruto a big smile. "Whiskers, I knew you would remember me!"

Naruto chuckled and replied, "Who could forget you, Yachiru-chan?" He then pulled out a piece of candy from one of his vest pockets and gave it to her. "I'll see you again, kay?"

She happily took the candy before jumping off Kenpachi and hugging the red-blonde. "I'll miss you Whiskers."

He hugged her back before looking to Kenpachi and saying, "Maybe when I visit again, you and I can have a spar. I'm interested in seeing how I'd fair against you."

The 11th Division Taicho gave him a predatory grin and replied, "I'll be looking forward to it."

While Naruto was saying goodbye to those two, Ichigo was having an awkward goodbye with Rukia. He would definitely miss the midget he grew to love. "So, uh… I guess I'll see ya around, Rukia-chan."

"Yeah… see ya, Ichigo-kun," she responded.

Naruto looked over and groaned before yelling out, "Oh, for Kami-sama's sake, just _kiss_ each other already! Seriously, you guys are worse than me when I was alive!"

The two gave their other-realm friend a slight glare with blushing faces before Rukia took the initiative and pulled Ichigo into a deep kiss. He was surprised at her boldness, but he quickly got into the kiss. With the other Taicho, Byakuya looked on with wide eyes.

"It's about damn time," Naruto muttered to Yoruichi who perched her feline form on his shoulder.

"I know," she added before grinning at her otouto. "By the way, I was surprised to see you with my Little Bee of a student. I didn't think you two would hook up."

Naruto and Sui-Feng, who overheard the comment, blushed before Sui-Feng said, "Y-Yoruichi-sama, was it really _that_ surprising?"

Yoruichi turned to her old student and deadpanned, "Oh absolutely."

Naruto sighed and said, "C'mon, let's just get back home already."

Ukitake then opened the senkaimon for the group and they all jumped through it. Inside the Dangai Precipice World, they had to _again_ run from the cleaner before they appeared in the World of the Living in midair. Before they fell to the earth, Kisuke had Ururu fire a cloth of sorts to catch them while Jinta hit the cloth with his large bat, making it form a paper airplane like transport. Kisuke was seen sitting near the front of it and waved his fan in front of his face with a little flair.

"Welcome back everyone! I trust that the trip was exciting?"

Naruto and the others, Orihime also surprisingly, gave the shopkeeper a slight glare which made the man sweat a little. "If by 'exciting', you mean incredibly life-risking, then yes, it was exciting," Ichigo stated.

Kisuke took it in stride and said, "Well then, good!" He then turned serious and asked, "I also assume that the truth has been revealed to you all?"

"Yeah, it has," Naruto said with a slight growl. "You could have mentioned Rukia holding the Hogyoku. I'm sure that you knew."

Urahara nodded and said, "I did, and you're right. I should have told you before you became too deeply involved. For what it's worth, I'm sorry to you all." He then bowed to them in apology and the guys looked at one another before sighing in unison.

"We understand why you kept it from us. We forgive you, but you had better apologize to Rukia-chan if you see her again," said Ichigo.

Kisuke looked up with a small grin and replied, "Thanks, and I promise to do so should I see her."

"That's good and all, but we need to get down to business, Urahara," Naruto said. "The Sotaicho has asked me to set up a F.O.B. for the Seireitei for counter-Hollow actions. You are also asked to let them know _exactly_ what you know of Aizen and his plans for the Hogyoku. And Ichigo," said teen looked to the red-blonde, "you and I are going to see some people to whip our inner darkness into submission. Understand? We have a week, tops, to do so."

Ichigo nodded and said, "Yeah, I understand."

"Good, then I'll see you guys later. I have to find a decent sized place for the base." He was about to leave before Yoruichi perched herself on his shoulder again.

At his questioning look, she said, "I want in on your little base. I'm too bored over at Kisuke's place." This earned her a sulking shopkeeper, much to her amusement.

Naruto shrugged and said, "Suit yourself." He then disappeared with his sister figure in a _Kouyaku_ and began his search for a decent place to hold a F.O.B.

(End)

It was when Rukia apologized to the Shiba Family for the death of Kaien.

And that is the end of chapter 17! I used this chapter for two reasons. 1) I used it to show some IchiRuki and NaruSui moments. 2) I used it to set up the mood for later chapters. The "Rescue Rukia Arc" is officially over! The "Arrancar Arrival Arc" will begin next time with the boys fighting their inner darkness (aka Kurama and Hollow Ichigo).

BTW: I have posted up a poll regarding if Naruto will become a Taicho or not. I have placed three choices:

Division 3  
Division 5  
Division 9  
Stay a Mercenary

I will keep it up for 3 chapters (meaning 3 weeks) and also, you will be able to vote, not once, but _twice_ this time! Happy Voting!

See ya later!

-pain17ification


	18. Chapter 18: Inner Demons

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". The "Arrancar Arrival Arc" begins with our heroes facing their inner demons. Naruto also meets the Kurosaki family.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Shinigami or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

Poll Review: So far (as of one week of voting), Naruto being Taicho of the 9th Division is in first. I'm honestly surprised at that. I didn't think Tosen's Division would have the most votes currently. I figured either 5th Division (Aizen's) or remaining a mercenary would be top votes. *shrugs* Oh well…

AN: Starting from here on out, I'll try my best to avoid using the English names of attacks/jutsu. If I translate it wrong, then I'm sorry in advance.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes/Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 18: Inner Demons

Ichigo was currently sleeping in his bed in relative peace. He even had a small smile on his face. This look slightly disturbed a visiting Naruto who came to take Ichigo to fight his Inner Hollow. He thought back on his first meeting with the Kurosaki Family.

About 15 minutes ago

When Naruto arrived to the Kurosaki residence, he was in a gigai (false body) to make it seem like he was a friend picking up Ichigo. His gigai was that of his 15yr form and it felt a little uncomfortable for the Jinchuriki. He knocked on the door and was met with the sight of a small teenage girl with a kind face and brown hair. She had a smile on her face when she asked, "Can I help you?"

Naruto returned the smile and said, "I'm here for my friend, Ichigo. This is the correct address, right?"

She nodded and invited him in. "He's probably still asleep. I could wake him up for you, if you'd like?"

"No thanks, I'll do it."

"Yuzu, who was at the door?" came the voice of another teenage girl who had a bored face and black hair. Funny thing was that while the two looked like twins, they seemed to have polar opposite personalities.

"Oh, Karin, meet niisan's (big brother's) friend." She then gave a sheepish look to the red-blonde and asked, "I'm sorry, what was your name?"

Naruto chuckled and replied, "I'm Naruto Namikaze. Nice to meet the both of you. So, you two are Ichigo's little sisters, eh?"

They nodded and Karin asked, "So, you go to the same school as niisan?"

"Yea, but we have something important to do, so we're skipping for today."

Yuzu the reprimanded him with, "You two can't miss school! It'll mess up your grades and give you a lesser chance of getting good jobs!"

'Oh, if only you knew,' he thought. "This is _much_ more important; like _life-threatening_ important. Understand?"

Karin narrowed her eyes in suspicion while Yuzu looked slightly scared. Karin had noticed Ichigo in his Shinigami form a couple times and this guy gave off a similar vibe to her brother. Like Ichigo, Karin could see spirits quite clearly and interact with them. She states that she's in denial out loud, but truthfully she is interested in how life is after death. Seeing her brother in those black robes and holding a huge blade was also interesting to her.

"Is it something _spiritually_ related?" she asked Naruto who tensed slightly.

"I'm assuming you can see spirits like you brother and I can, ne Karin?"

She nodded and said, "I've also seen niisan in some type of black robes and moving at high speeds throughout the city once or twice. Can you do that too?"

Naruto mentally cursed how observant the young Kurosaki girl was. Resigning himself to letting them know the truth, he nodded.

Yuzu's eyes seemed to shine a little and Karin looked a little smug at being correct. "Can you show us, please?" Yuzu asked.

Naruto chuckled and was about to comply before he spotted Ishin Kurosaki, the girls' father standing in the entryway to the kitchen. "Nice to officially meet you, Kurosaki-san," Naruto greeted. "Kisuke's told me about you."

Ishin gave a small grin and replied, "Yea, well that baka (fool) never was one for keeping his mouth shut. He's told me of you as well, Naruto-san."

Naruto gave a slight nod before taking out a gikongan (artificial soul pill) and swallowing it. His body jerked slightly and Naruto's spirit form exited the gigai. In the place of the gigai was an artificial soul in a school uniform while Naruto, in his normal attire, told it to head back to the Urahara Shop. He turned to the girls and asked, "So, what do you think?"

Ishin and Karin, being both spiritually aware, were able to clearly see the man's soul. Yuzu, however, only saw a blurred figure in Naruto's place and seemed to be slightly depressed by it. Naruto saw this and mentally activated Uzuhime on his back so that he could use the Rinnegan (Samsara Eye). He knelt down to the brunette's level and said, "Yuzu, look into my eyes please."

She was confused at his suggestion, but still complied. She was immediately entranced by the rippled, grayish-purple eyes and couldn't help but get lost in them. This was what Naruto wanted and he mentally asked Tsunade to send some of her reiatsu to them. She complied and the Rinnegan flashed slightly, temporarily blinding the girl. After a minute or two, her vision returned, and this time she was able to clearly see Naruto.

"I can see you now!" she exclaimed happily.

Ishin took a step forward and asked, "What _exactly_ did you do to her?"

Naruto raised his hands in a placating manner and responded, "Relax, I just had my eyes send a small influx of reiatsu to her own. It influenced her vision and improved it when it comes to seeing those of the spiritual side of this world."

Ishin eyed the red-blonde for any deception, but found none. So he relaxed and nodded to him. Naruto returned it and asked where Ichigo's room was. Yuzu led him to his bedroom door and went back downstairs. Naruto then entered the room and saw the sleeping form of his orange-haired partner.

Present Time

A smirk formed on the Jinchuriki's face and he kicked Ichigo's bed hard with his boot. The force of the kick woke up the teen and made him fall out of his bed. Ichigo looked up to see the smirking face of his friend and partner.

"Good, you're up," Naruto said conversationally. "Now then, we need to go. So much to do, so little time…"

Ichigo shook the rest of his sleepiness away and asked, "What are you talking about? Better yet, what the hell are you doing in my room?!"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm waking you up so that we can get a move on. After all, that Inner Hollow of yours isn't going to submit to you by itself." He then gained a thoughtful look. "At least, I don't _think_ it will…"

Realization dawned on the orange haired teen and he untangled himself from his sheets before looking at Naruto expectantly.

"What?" the red-blonde asked.

"Uh, I kinda like to change in private."

Naruto snorted and walked over to Ichigo's desk before taking the Shinigami Daikou Badge and slamming it into Ichigo's chest. The Shinigami form of Ichigo came out and Naruto said, "There, now you're all changed. Satisfied?"

Ichigo face-palmed at that and said, "I guess so." Then his eyes widened and he asked, "How did you get in here?"

"Oh, Yuzu let me in. your family's already in the know of you and me having Shinigami powers by the way. Karin spotted you in your soul form once or twice; which reminds me…" He then smacked Ichigo in the back of the head and said, "You should be more mindful of your surroundings whenever you're out 'Hollow Hunting', baka (idiot)."

Ichigo grumbled at that and then asked, "So, are you gonna take me wherever I need to go to or not?"

The Jinchuriki nodded and opened Ichigo's bedroom window before jumping out of it and landing on a nearby roof. "Follow me."

Ichigo complied and began tailing Naruto. During the trip, Yoruichi, in her feline form, appeared out of nowhere and perched herself on her favorite spot; her little brother's shoulder.

"Hey there, neechan (big sis)," Naruto greeted without any indication of being surprised at her sudden arrival.

"Hey otouto (little bro). Heading over to the Vizard's place?" she asked.

"Yep, we have to beat Ichigo's little problem into submission after all."

Yoruichi nodded and remained silent before asking, "Hey, Naruto, you still wanna learn how to change into an animal?"

Naruto looked confused before remembering that he asked to be taught to. "Yea, I do. So, how do I do it?"

"I'll teach you after you deal with _your_ inner demon."

"Alright then."

Outside of the Vizard's Warehouse Home

When the three arrived, they noticed that the Kido Barrier was once again up. Naruto sighed and took a deep breath before calling out, "Hey Snaggletooth (1), I bet you guys set up the barrier again because you're scared that I'll kick your ass!"

Yoruichi began snickering at that while Ichigo looked confused at it all. Suddenly, the barrier dropped and Naruto ducked, avoiding a sandal that was now attached to Ichigo's face.

"What did you say, you whisker faced bastard?!" Hiyori yelled out.

Naruto stood up again and smirked. "You heard me, _Snaggletooth_."

Hiyori saw red and was about to lunge at him, but was held back by Kensei who had a solid grip on the back of her jacket.

"Now now, Hiyori, you can attack him later," he said. "He and the kid there have some inner demons to beat down."

Hiyori growled but complied. Besides, she could beat down on Naruto when his body was possessed by Kurama while the internal battle took place.

The five then went inside and they saw the rest of the Vizards resting in various parts of the warehouse. Naruto gave a small wave which was returned by an enthusiastic Mashiro and bored Lisa. Naruto then pulled out a familiar orange book and tossed it to Lisa while saying, "As I promised, here's the 'Icha Icha' book you were so interested in reading. I still can't believe that that book came with me along with 'Tale of the Gutsy Ninja'…"

Lisa had a gleam in her eye at the sight of the book and gave a smile to the red-blonde before beginning to read the book. Not even 5 seconds later, a rosy hue appeared on her face and a drop of blood left her nose.

"Now then, let's get this show on the road," Naruto stated.

"Not quite yet," Shinji replied. "We trust you and Yoruichi-san, but not the kid."

"He's completely trustworthy," Naruto defended. "Plus, you guys are the only ones who can help him. I'm not familiar with facing 'Inner Hollows'; you are. Please Shinji, just help him."

The blonde looked to his associate's face before looking at Ichigo's. He saw determination in them and sensed the kid's Inner Hollow stirring up his reiatsu. He sighed and said, "Alright, we'll help. But you owe us _big time_, Naruto."

"Deal," the red-blonde replied.

(AN: I'm sure you all know how Ichigo's fight with his Inner Hollow Goes down, so I'm gonna show it from the point of view of the observers.)

Everyone then went to an underground room that looked almost exactly like the one underneath the Urahara Shop. Naruto decided not to dwell on it and just watched as Shinji knocked Ichigo out, since he needed to be unconscious to interact with the Hollow in his inner world. He then saw Hachi set up various Kido spells to trap and confine Ichigo.

Then, a large spike in reiatsu was felt by everyone and a possessed Ichigo begin to break the pillar holding down his limbs. Lisa was about to step in, but Naruto cut her off by saying, "I'll hold him off. You guys will need _all_ of your strength when I try to fight Kurama." He then had Hachi make an opening and stepped inside the barrier to face his Hollowfied friend. The pillars holding Ichigo broke and he looked up to Naruto, showing that his face was halfway covered by a Hollow Mask. Naruto sighed and pulled out his blade, mentally changing it to Uzuhime. "C'mon you damn hollow. Let's see how good you are at controlling Ichigo's body."

The Hollowfied teen roared at the challenge and rushed the red-blonde at high speed. He swung Zangetsu at Naruto, but the red-blonde lifted his hand and _caught_ the blade easily.

"Is that all you got, _Hollow_?" he taunted.

The Hollow roared again and resumed his attack. Naruto either blocked or dodged each swing seeing as they were either too wide or too weak. After a bit more, Naruto finally swung back and slashed the Hollow in its chest. The cut instantly healed and covered the wound in the same substance as the Hollow Mask. The Hollow then continued its assault, but it was beginning to move faster and swing harder.

Naruto was forced to try harder and was beginning to be pushed back by his Hollowfied friend. He then jumped back and swung his blade while crying out, "_Suiton: Kamisori no Nami_ (Water Element: Razor Waves)!" Water was launched at the Hollow and when it hit, it began to cut into its skin. However, wherever it hit, it was instantly healed and covered in more of the white substance. Suddenly, the hollow tensed before releasing an earth-shattering roar. A flash of light came from the body before the sight of a reptilian looking Hollow appeared before the spectators and Naruto. In addition, Zangetsu had changed into its Bankai form. "Aw fuck…" Naruto cursed before mentally changing Uzuhime into Uzukage.

The Hollow lunged at Naruto, faster and stronger than ever, forcing Naruto to use his _Kouyaku_ to dodge the more threatening attacks. Naruto then formed a low-powered _Rasengan_ and used it to push back the Hollowfied teen. The Hollow the raised its left hand and pointed it at Naruto. A dense orb of red reiatsu began forming in the hand and Shinji cried out, "Naruto, it's about to fire a _Cero_ (Hollow Flash)!"

Naruto cursed again before holding out his left hand and saying, "_Hado #4: Byakurai_ (White Lightning)!" White reiatsu began crackling like lightning in his palm and stayed there, confusing the others. Then it began covering his hand and forming a blade of sorts around it. "This is something I wanted to test, but I never thought of doing so in _this_ type of situation." The reiatsu kept on getting sharper and releasing more energy before Naruto cried out, "_Oniton: Shiro Raikiri_ (Demon Element: White Lightning Edge)!"

The Hollow then fired the _Cero_ and Naruto charged to meet the attack head-on. As soon as he was close enough, he plunged his new technique into the _Cero_ and began to split it in two. He kept charging through the attack before he reached the Hollow and focused the energy around his entire left arm. The energy lost its sharpness in exchange for blunt force and Naruto rammed his arm into the Hollow's throat.

"_Oniton: Shiro Rariāto_ (Demon Element: White Lariat)!" Naruto cried as he pushed the Hollow back. The attack blasted the Hollowfied Ichigo away and cracked several parts of his body. Naruto dropped to a knee and was panting slightly as he saw what his techniques were capable of. He was surprised that they worked the way he wanted them to and that they were incredibly powerful. He then turned his attention to the Hollow as it slowly got back up to its feet. It looked towards Naruto's direction before its body began to break apart and fade away. After it finished breaking off, it revealed Ichigo in his Shinigami form with a Hollow Mask on his face that fell to the ground. Ichigo followed soon after and was breathing heavily on the ground as Naruto slowly walked up to him.

Naruto smirked at Ichigo and asked, "How are you feeling, Ichigo?"

Ichigo was silent for a bit before he smirked as well and replied calmly, "Not too bad actually."

Naruto chuckled and helped Ichigo to his feet before supporting him towards the others. Shinji smirked at them and asked rhetorically, "So, I assume you were successful?"

Ichigo didn't respond vocally. He instead lifted up his left hand to his face, focused reiatsu into it, and moved it across his face in a ripping fashion. Once it was out of the way, a Hollow Mask was seen on his face and he said in a slightly distorted voice, **"Yea, I was."**

Shinji's smirk grew and he said, "Good, now we have to deal with Naruto and _his_ Inner Demon."

Naruto nodded and moved back into the barrier and sat in a lotus position. As he sat, he called out, "You better not hold back guys…" He was then surrounded in an orb of blood red reiatsu. "…because Kurama sure as hell won't." With his warning relayed to them, he entered his inner world to face down the Kyubi no Yoko (9-Tailed Demon Fox).

Inner World (top of Hokage Monument)

Naruto appeared in front on a large cage that held a shadowed silhouette. He reached for his Zanpakuto, but found that it was nowhere to be found. This shocked him, but he was unable to dwell on it because the silhouette shifted and revealed itself to be a Naruto look-alike.

This Naruto had black hair that sported red fox ears with black tips, crimson eyes with black slitted irises, and darker whisker marks. He was wearing blood red pants, black combat boots, no shirt, and had nine red fox tails with black tips coming from his tailbone.

He smirked and asked, **"Well gaki, what do ya think of this form I've taken?"**

Naruto glared at the look-alike and replied, "I didn't think that my form would suit you, Kurama. I thought you despised humans?"

Kurama chuckled darkly and said, **"Well, I did some thinking and figured that me being a gigantic fox would make the fight annoying for me, seeing as it would be hard to hit you smaller, more elusive form. So, I decided to even the odds and changed into this form you see now. I just copied your form to screw with ya."**

Naruto got in a ready stance and was ready for a hard fight. He was slightly annoyed that Kurama looked more apathetic than battle-ready. "So, what do I have to do to get you to lend me your power this time?"

"**Lend you my power? No, you misunderstand, Naruto. You see, we were both given a second chance; but they were for different reasons."**

Naruto was confused and asked, "And those reasons were…?"

Kurama replied, **"You already know the reason you were given one; to aid this realm's Prophecy Child. My reason was something much simpler. I was allowed a second chance to see if you would fall at my hands… or if you would defeat me and take my power as your own, effectively erasing your status as a Jinchuriki and changing it to a status as an Akuma no Shinigami **(Demon/Demonic Soul Reaper)**."**

Naruto was shocked at that. He would make Kurama's power his _own_ if he won? He then asked, "What do mean 'Akuma no Shinigami'? Would I become like a hanyou (half-demon) or something?"

"**No, you would merely be a being that resides in neither light nor darkness. Shinigami and Akuma have always been at odds with one another. Hollows are just a subsection of Akuma that focus on the spiritual part of darkness. Basically, you would be neither Shinigami nor Akuma, but instead, a being that has the best of both worlds. You would have the power and darkness of the Akuma while also having the ability and lightness of the Shinigami. Do you understand, kid? The Rei no Kokuō **(Spirit King) **has made you his personal soldier by bestowing upon you a second chance after you were meant to spend eternity in his stomach! He is allowing you to literally do what Aizen plans to do: transcend past the boundaries of Shinigami and Hollow and become a being of higher power! Not a Kami (god), mind you, but still higher than where you are now!"**

"But I don't want to have all that!" Naruto yelled. "I don't want to have power that transcends Shinigami and Hollow! I just wanted to do my part in this upcoming situation and then try and live some kind of life in peace! How the hell am I supposed to do that when I'm the personal soldier of the Rei no Kokuō?!"

"_**Because it is the path you must take as a Prophecy Child,"**_ came a voice behind Naruto. The red-blonde turned and was shocked to see the familiar form of the Shinigami of the _Shiki Fuiin_ floating behind him. _**"The life of the Prophecy Child goes as such: a struggling and challenging life, a seemingly impossible responsibility to deal with, and finally, a life in service to one of the Kami. Yours happens to be me, while the Spirit Realm's Prophecy Child, Ichigo Kurosaki, is as of now unknown."**_

"You mean to tell me that a Prophecy Child is nothing more than that of a man or woman who's basically Fate's Bitch, living according to what their 'fate' determines for them?!" Naruto raged.

"_**That is putting it bluntly, but, yes it is. A Prophecy Child's duty is to the many Realms that make up our World; a life that sacrifices self servitude."**_

"That's bullshit! Why the fuck are there even Children of Prophecy then?! You're basically making us into nothing more than slaves! Well, I refuse to become that!"

He walked up to Kurama's cage and opened it. **"Naruto, why are you-"**

"Finish me, Kurama!" he cried, surprising the demon fox. "End my life! If it's a future of nothing more than a slave, then I have _no_ future!" He the spread his arms open wide, accepting death at the hands of his Bijuu (Tailed Beast). "KILL ME!"

His eyes were closed, blocking his view of his end. He waited for it, but it never came. He opened his eyes to see Kurama smirking at him and the Rei no Kokuō looking upon him with pride.

"_**Congratulations Naruto, you've passed my test."**_

"…What?" asked a shocked Naruto.

The Shinigami chuckled at the man's shocked face and answered, _**"The true test was not to face Kurama, but instead to see how far you resolve would take you. You refused to submit to the supposed role of the Prophecy Child and sought to defy both 'fate' and beings of higher power. You truly are a gutsy ninja."**_

"S-So, it was all a lie?"

"_**Most of it. Kurama won't be leaving you and will be you partner in future battles just like during the 4**__**th**__** Shinobi War, the Children of Prophecy are not slaves of the Kami, and you won't become an Akuma no Shinigami. All of those were lies to test you. However, it was not a lie that Ichigo is the Prophecy Child of this Realm, and you are still entrusted in aiding him. You've truly exceeded my expectations, Naruto Uzumaki Namikaze."**_

Kurama was laughing at Naruto's face as he said, **"Oh man, we got you **_**good**_**, gaki!"**

Naruto shook off his shock and glared at the two in front of him. "That was a seriously fucked up way to test my resolve."

"_**True, but it produced the results that I wished to see. You have truly passed this test Naruto and have defeated your **_**true**_** inner darkness."**_

"And that was…?"

The Rei no Kokuō smiled and answered, _**"Self fear; a fear of what you will become or what your fate will be. You conquered that fear when you chose to defy 'fate' and accept death. A true Prophecy Child does not fear what challenges them and faces those challenges head-on. You did well, Naruto."**_

"So, what now? How am I able to use Kurama's power?" Naruto asked.

Kurama answered this time. **"To use my power, you must accept the fact that you may die for real this time and trust in your heart and soul; just like you've always done. Not only that, but I must fully accept you as my partner and support you; which I do for both." **He grinned at Naruto who returned the gesture before he continued, **"To call upon the power, focus your reiatsu on the **_**Shiki Fuiin**_** and allow it to envelop you and merge with your soul. The power will do the rest."**

Naruto nodded and began to focus on the seal on his naval. He felt a dense reiatsu come from it, but it wasn't as dark as it used to be. Instead it felt familiar and like his own, just denser. He allowed it to envelop him and merge before a flash of light erupted from him. Once the light died down, Naruto was seen in his new form.

The form started off as a simple shroud of orange reiatsu that flickered like a live flame before it parted down the middle and opened into a large full-length coat, revealing a black undergarment with magatama (a beaded necklace) near his neck whilst his seal's numerous swirl-patterns located all over his body opened out into complete, dark circles. Naruto also gained slit pupils and his whisker-markings became much thicker. The cloak also had nine tail-like appendages that formed from the cloak and flowed from it with lines running down the middle of each. (2)

Naruto sighed in relief and said, "Man, it feels good to have this power back. Glad to have as my partner again, Kurama."

Kurama chuckled and replied,** "The feeling's mutual, Naruto."**

The Shinigami decided to speak up again. _**"Naruto, your future is fraught with numerous challenges, but I know that you'll do well and face them like you always have. I wish you luck and hope that you will do what your heart and soul tells you in the end."**_ With his piece said, the Shinigami left Naruto's mind and returned back to his Realm.

Naruto stared at the now vacant spot before he felt his sword reappear on his back and his form begin to fade from his Inner World. He looked to Kurama and said, "See ya around, Kurama."

The fox returned to its normal fox form and replied, **"Yea, later Naruto."**

Outside World (when Naruto began his test)

The Vizards, Ichigo, and Yoruichi all waited for Naruto to go berserk with power, but to their surprise, the orb of reiatsu dispersed not even a minute later and revealed Naruto in his new cloak. He opened his eyes to the sight of their shocked faces before smirking and saying the only thing that he felt was right at the moment.

"Yo."

(End)

1- A commonly used nickname for Hiyori.

2- Basically Naruto's Enhanced Kyubi Chakra Mode.

And that is chapter 18! Man, I think that was well typed and thought out, if I do say so myself. But, I wanna know what you guys thought of it, so please R&R!

Poll Status Reminder: So far, Naruto being the Taicho of the 9th Division is in first, but there are still 2 more weeks left until I close the poll; and it is a _very_ close matchup.

Next Time: The Arrancar show themselves for the first time in Karakura Town! Stay Tuned!

See ya guys next time!

-pain17ification


	19. Chapter 19: The Arrancar

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". The Arrancar appear for the first time. To all of the fans of Halibel-chan, this chapter is for you guys!

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

Poll Review: So far (as of 2 weeks of voting), Naruto staying a mercenary has jumped to a 5 point lead. Only one week left to vote, so those who haven't better do so!

AN: To the fans of Neliel, I'm sorry to say that I have removed her from the harem with Naruto. Seeing how he has two serious people in it (Sui-Feng and Halibel), a happy-go-lucky girl like Neliel will not fit in. Don't fret, she'll still be important to Naruto, but as a sister figure instead.

AN 2: Let me point out right now, to those who think I'm overpowering Naruto, the Kyubi Form he gained last chapter will act like a Vizard Mask, but with a little more "kick" to it. He will not be god-like in strength and the form leaves him exhausted after prolonged use. Also, if he uses it during Bankai, the other "Paths" disappear until he stops using it. So, no Kyubi and Rikudo at the same time. That is all.

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes/Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 19: The Arrancar

"Welcome to Ichiraku Ramen! What can I get you?" asked a young woman at the register of Karakura Town's newest food joint. Naruto decided to remake the old ramen stand that he went to many times when he was alive. He didn't even think twice on the name; it would dishonor the memory of the Ichiraku family.

Naruto was the owner and chef of the place. Over the years during the 'downtime' between the initial end of the 4th Great Ninja War and its continuation, he helped out the father-daughter duo at their ramen stand and learned all of the tricks and secrets of making ordinary ramen into _Ichiraku's_ Ramen. So, it was no surprise that he would use their recipe in their honor.

"Naruto-sempai (boss), two orders of miso ramen!" called out Jill Yukira, a high school girl with black hair and bright blue eyes. She was surprised that Naruto owned the place since she had seen him at school before. Unknown to her, he was in the gigai of his 15yr old self so as not to raise suspicion.

"On it, Jill-san!" Naruto replied as he got to work. As he cooked, he thought about the ramen joint's _other_ function. The place was as small as a coffee shop and had a one-room flat above it where he slept. But the real kicker was what was _underneath_ it.

Under the stand was a labyrinth of hallways and rooms that were made to act as the F.O.B. that Yamamoto wanted the red-blonde to prepare. It had 8 bedrooms, a meeting room, and a monitor room. Each bedroom had a full-size bed, dresser with mirror, and a walk in bathroom. The meeting room had a table for four and two two-seater couches. The monitor room had a large keyboard and 6 different screens that showed the view of the 12 cameras that Naruto had his clones place around the city. Each screen monitored two cameras and Naruto had Kisuke configure them to show, not just live people, but also souls and Hollows. Naruto also had Kisuke make and elevator that led to an underground training area much like the one under the Urahara Shop; it even connected to the Shop so that they wouldn't have to waste time getting to the surface to get to one another.

Naruto was immensely proud of his accomplishment with the base and he was extremely grateful to Kisuke for his assistance with it. He had Kisuke send the base's coordinates to the Seireitei so that they can open a senkaimon in the training area. That would make it so that the group chosen by Toshiro and Sui-Feng could get there with no problems.

Naruto shook out of his thoughts and served the ramen to a pair of high school senior girls who blushed when they saw the handsome ramen chef. He gave them a foxy grin, deepening their blushing faces, and said, "Enjoy the ramen!"

Naruto didn't just spend time in the ramen shop. He had also spent the week training in his Kyubi Form along with Ichigo and his Vizard Mask. He thought back on the week's worth of training as he served another customer.

Flashback 6 Days Ago

It was the day after Naruto and Ichigo gained their new abilities and the duo was ready to train in them. The Vizards and Yoruichi were currently discussing how to effectively train them while Naruto and Ichigo were waiting patiently.

Finally, Shinji addressed the duo saying, "Alright, here's the deal. We're going to have Hiyori train Ichigo while Yoruichi trains Naruto. We'll also have Kensei back up Hiyori while Lisa backs up Yoruichi. Understand?"

"Hey, why do I have to train the Strawberry?! I wanna fight Whiskers!" Hiyori complained.

Naruto smirked and teased, "Oh, you wanna play with me that badly, Hiyori?"

The pigtailed blonde turned red with embarrassment and anger and shouted, "No, I don't wanna play with you! I wanna kick your sorry ass, you bastard!"

Naruto waved his finger admonishingly and retorted, "Too bad, Hiyori. Neechan is gonna train me." He then headed off to a random area of the training field followed by his two teachers and Hiyori was left grumbling to herself.

She then turned to Ichigo and yelled out, "Well c'mon, I don't have all day!" She then headed to a different area followed by Ichigo and Kensei.

With Naruto, he changed into his Kyubi Form (KF) and asked, "So, how are we gonna do this?"

Yoruichi smirked and said, "Simple, I'm gonna go all out on you while you use _only_ the form you're in now. The goal is to see how long you can hold it for." She then extended her right arm to her side and started to gather reiatsu. She gave her otouto a feral grin and said, "Get ready, Naruto. This move of mine is incomplete as well, but it's still pretty powerful. _Shunkō_ (Flash Cry)!"

She was then surrounded by compressed Kido that focused on her back and arms, proven by the clothing fabric in those areas being ripped to shreds by the Kido energy. Naruto's eyes changed to orange with black slits as he focused on the flow of the Kido around his neechan. He then gave a fanged grin and said, "Oh, this is gonna be _fun_!"

In a twin flash of light, the two charged at one another and began Naruto's training.

Present Time

Naruto unconsciously rubbed his left arm at the memory. Yoruichi wasn't kidding when she said she was going all out, and with an _incomplete_ technique no less! At first he was only able to keep up the KF for no more than a minute, but his time was slowly extending throughout the week. Now, he was able to keep it up for nine minutes before the energy left him. What really annoyed him was how drained he felt after using it for that long.

'I gotta get better and controlling the energy,' he thought to himself as he sent Jill home after a day of serving hungry patrons.

"**Like I told you before, Kit, my energy won't be so easy to control this time," **Kurama informed him. **"It may have been easier when you were alive, but that's the reason right there. After all, the energy is Yang Element, meaning life based. Using it while you're technically dead makes it that much more difficult to control."**

Naruto sighed and mentally said, 'Yea, I understand that, but that doesn't mean I won't train harder to control it.'

It was late in the afternoon and Naruto was about to head over to Kisuke's after closing up shop. But suddenly, he felt the energy of many human souls vanishing in rapid succession. He also felt a source that was vaguely familiar.

His eyes widened when he figured out who it was and he rushed to the town park…

…where Tatsuki's life force was on its last legs.

Town Park

Tatsuki was currently collapsed on the ground next to dead bodies of many people. She didn't understand what was going on, but she knew it had something to do with those two people in white clothing.

The first was a tall man with tan skin, a powerful build and a ridge-lined cranium, brown eyes and black hair. He had long, bushy sideburns and a thin ponytail. Aside from that, he was bald. He also had orange eye brows and red markings under his eyes. What struck her as odd was that he had a hole in his chest and what looked like a bone fragment that covered his lower jaw. He wore an open white jacket, white pants, black socks in white sandals, and had a sword strapped to his waist.

The second person was female and shorter than the male. She had dark skin, teal green eyes, blonde eyelashes, and messy short blonde hair with three braided locks. She wore a white jacket with a high collar that covered the lower part of her face downward, while baring a good portion of the lower half of her large breasts. The jacket, unlike normal ones, had a zipper running along its entire length that was opened from the bottom upwards. The jacket's sleeves completely enveloped her arms, ending in black glove-like extensions at her extremities, resembling the appearance of a cat's paw. She also carried a sword horizontally across her back.

The man seemed to be sucking in air moments ago, which somehow caused the people to collapse dead and Tatsuki to collapse while feeling incredibly weak.

The man seemed to spit out something and commented, "Ugh, those souls were so bland! I'm telling you, no flavor whatsoever!"

The woman spoke in a calm voice saying, "We weren't here to cause problems, Yammy. We're here to observe the two men Aizen-sama wanted us to. We may have attracted some unwanted attention, thanks to your impatience."

The now-named Yammy waved her off and replied, "Ah, you worry too much, Halibel. I'm sure we'll be fine."

Halibel remained silent as she sent out a small pulse of reiatsu to act like a sonar and search for anyone with high levels of reiatsu. She felt two decent level sources, but ignored them in favor of the much larger source that was heading their way at high speed.

Tatsuki was wondering why the two were just standing there but was shaken out of her thoughts when her friends, Orihime and Chad, arrived on the scene.

She was so out of it at that point that she didn't hear any of the conversation between the two parties and was able to see a blurry form of Chad get knocked aside by Yammy before she passed out.

Orihime was at her side in an instant and was hurriedly trying to heal her friend. His entire left arm looked as if it had gone through a shredder and was bleeding profusely in the areas where it was sliced. She was trying desperately to heal him faster as she noticed Yammy slowly walk up to them. She rose up a _Santen Keshun_ (Three Sacred Links Shield) to protect herself and Chad, but the man easily broke it with a simple swipe of the arm.

He then turned to Halibel and asked, "Hey, are any of these to the ones we're looking for?"

Halibel shook her head and replied, "No, their reiatsu levels are much too weak. Their disposable."

Yammy grinned and turned back to Orihime and said, "Sorry little girl, but I have no reason to let you live."

"Then let me give you one, you bastard!" yelled out a voice before a certain Jinchuriki dropkicked Yammy and sent him flying before he landed beside Halibel. Halibel paid no attention to her associate and was focused on the newcomer. His description matched that of one of the men she was sent to observe. Red-blonde hair, black clothing with an orange vest, a tan coat, and whiskered cheeks.

"Namikaze Naruto…" she said quietly to herself.

Yammy began to get up while rubbing his left cheek. That kick _really_ hurt! He glared at Naruto and yelled out, "Who the fuck do you think you are, punching me like that?!"

Naruto ignored him and turned to Orihime while making a _Kage Bunshin_. "Get Chad and Tatsuki out of here. Things are likely to get real dangerous _real fast_," he told her. She nodded and the clone helped her get their Mexican friend out of the area while she helped Tatsuki leave. He then turned back to the two others and asked, "Let me guess, you're both Arrancar (Ripped Mask), right?"

The two were surprised that he knew that, but Halibel hid it very well. Yammy laughed at him and replied, "Maybe we are, but you won't live long enough to know for sure!" He then charged at Naruto who smirked and let the Arrancar come.

Halibel saw the smirk and wondered what he was up to. She didn't have to wonder long since another large reiatsu source appeared in the area via _Shunpo_ and fired a crescent shaped wave of blue reiatsu that crashed into Yammy.

She noticed that the second man fit the description of Ichigo Kurosaki and she thought to herself, 'Well, at least we won't have to waste our time searching for them.'

"Damn it, they're appearing outta nowhere like cockroaches!" Yammy cursed.

Naruto gave Ichigo a nod and asked, "I trust your training went well?"

Ichigo smirked and replied, "I wouldn't be here it were otherwise."

"Good, so you can take tall, dark, and ugly while I take the other one."

"Why do I have to get the other one?"

"Because I said so," Naruto stated with a grin.

Ichigo scoffed at that, but gave his friend a returning grin while saying, "Fine, I'll handle the big guy."

"Good, we have an accord."

"Will you two shut up already?!" yelled out a clearly pissed off Yammy. "Quit talking about me like I'm not even here!"

Naruto gave a look of mock surprise and said, "Oh, I'm _so_ sorry! I forgot you were still here!"

Yammy's eye started twitching in anger and he was about to attack in rage but Halibel stopped him by saying, "Calm down, Yammy. They're just baiting you and you're falling right into their trap." She then turned to the duo and said, "Aizen-sama is most interested in you both. He asked us to see if you were truly worthy of his time."

Naruto snorted and replied, "Funny how a guy who got scorched by my technique wants to send someone to see if I'm 'worthy' of his time." He then pulled out his sword and said, "Though a fight every now and then _does_ make life a little more interesting… Don't ya think?"

Halibel gave no reply and merely waited for them to make the first move. Naruto acted first by having his Zanpakuto change to Hiraishin and using _Kouyaku_ to flash directly behind Halibel, causing her to lash out behind her with a kick. He dodged the strike and moved away from the area while she followed.

Ichigo immediately went into Bankai and prepared to fight Yammy, who cracked his knuckles in excitement.

Naruto vs. Halibel

Naruto had created 5 _Kage Bunshin_ to assist him in battle and had them all attempt to overwhelm the Arrancar. What he didn't count on was Halibel easily dispatching them with quick and precise strikes without even using her sword. He then prepared his _Shiro Raikiri_ and raced at her with great speed. She was surprised at first at the unique use of the Kido, but she quickly shook it off and took out her sword.

The weapon was a wide blade and had the distinction of being completely hollow in the middle, essentially consisting of nothing more than the edges of what would otherwise be a normal sword. Its handle was purple and its guard was as wide as its blade with three small holes on either end. She used it to block Naruto's technique at the last second before she kicked him away from her. Naruto never expected the force of the kick to be so great and was sent crashing through a nearby tree.

Halibel knew that he wouldn't go that easily and stared towards his direction, waiting for eventual counterstrike. She was surprised though when he merely walked back to her at a leisurely pace. He stopped at about 10 feet from her and grabbed the back of his neck before cracking it.

"Nice kick," he complimented. "Wasn't expecting that kind of power from you. I guess you Arrancar aren't to be underestimated, huh?"

Halibel just stared at him and asked, "Does this fight not even matter to you?"

He shrugged and asked back, "Well, you weren't the one who sucked out the souls of all those people, were you?" He took her silence as a "yes" and continued, "Then I currently have no problems with you. You've already shattered what I originally thought of the Hollows."

She raised a slender brow and asked, "How did you view them before?"

"Oh, as nothing more than mindless beasts that craved souls to fill the emptiness they had lost in death. You proved me wrong though, seeing how you can think rationally and hold a civil conversation with your enemy," he stated with a small smile. He then turned serious and continued, "But unfortunately, my current allegiance is to the Seireitei, and those who associate themselves with someone like Aizen are the enemies of who I currently work for. Mercenaries are bound by contract after all."

"So, you only fight because it's a job to you?" she asked with narrowed eyes.

He narrowed his own and replied, "Of course not! I fight to protect the ones I love from those who threaten their safety. And right now, those who serve scum like Aizen are the ones who threaten their safety. That means, since you work for him, you are an enemy by association." He then sighed and had a somewhat solemn look on his face before saying, "It's a shame too, seeing as you are the first Hollow I've met that could hold a social conversation."

She was silent for a while before stating, "You… interest me, Namikaze-san."

He smiled to her and said, "Well, you aren't the first person who's said that…" He stopped since he didn't know her name.

Seeing that he was waiting for an introduction, she politely complied. "Tia Halibel, the Tercera Espada (The 3rd of the Ten Blades)."

He nodded and readied his blade while saying, "Then it will be my pleasure to fight you, Halibel-san."

She nodded in return and readied her own weapon while thinking, 'Strange, he's so different from how I've seen Shinigami act. He seems so… full of life for one who's dead. He also speaks to me as if I was new acquaintance, instead of his enemy.'

They both then disappeared in a burst of speed, Naruto using his _Kouyaku_ and Halibel using her _Sonido_ (Sound Ceremony). Their blades crashed against one another, sending sparks and small bursts of reiatsu throughout the area. Once they separated, Halibel charged reiatsu to the hollow part of her blade while Naruto charged some into Uzukage's blade. They then unleashed their attacks at one another with cries of:

"_Ola Azul_ (Blue Wave Gun)!"

"_Suiton: Kamisori no Nami_ (Water Element: Razor Waves)!"

The yellow energy wave crashed against the sharp waves and Halibel was surprised to see that the red-blonde's element was the same as hers: water. They kept the energy up in the attacks before they both died out and Naruto immediately followed up by swing his blade and crying out, "_Suiton: Uzumaki no Naku_ (Cry of the Whirlpool)!" From the tip of the blade came a whirling whip of water that reached a meter in length. He then swung the whip at Halibel who used _Sonido_ to dodge the surprising quick strikes. She noted that whatever was hit by the whip was pulled into the whirlpool, increasing its size and destructive force.

'Such a powerful water technique,' she thought to herself. 'It feels as if the water is bending to his will.'

With a final swing of the whip, Naruto dispersed the water and launched all of the objects that were trapped inside. Halibel stood her ground and used her blade to slice through the trees, dirt, and rocks that were launched at her. After slicing through a particularly large tree, she was surprised to see Naruto, in his KF, appear in front of her with his fist reared back and ready to strike.

She was barely able to dodge with _Sonido_ but couldn't hide the shock on her face at feeling the dark reiatsu that seemed to surround her opponent. It felt similar to that of a Hollow, but darker and denser.

Naruto saw her surprise and decided to give a little flair by having his reiatsu form a silhouette of Kurama standing behind him. "I see that you're surprised at the sight of my tenant's reiatsu. I haven't been able to test it out in a real battle for so long, so I hope you'll be able to help me get used to it again."

He then disappeared, not in a yellow flash, but simply vanished in a burst of pure speed and reappeared in front of Halibel, head down and hand in front of her covered face. Above her, she saw the reiatsu form a silhouette of the roof of an animal's mouth and noticed that teeth made of reiatsu were formed behind her. Naruto raised his head and gazed into her teal green eyes with his red-orange ones. Slit pupils stared into shocked normal ones and Naruto suddenly released the reiatsu around his form and returned to his normal state.

"This fight is over, Halibel-san," Naruto said much to her surprise. He elaborated, "My partner has held yours off long enough for reinforcements to arrive on the scene. Your associate is now outnumbered three to one."

Halibel reached out with her own reiatsu and, sure enough, Yammy was facing off against three reiatsu sources that easily reached past Taicho Levels. She sighed and asked, "Why inform me of this? You could've kept quiet and continued our battle, yet you let me know that he was in trouble."

Naruto gave her a small smile and said, "Call it an honorable gesture from one swordsman to another. I'm not without honor, Halibel-san, and to not inform you would be underhanded." His smile grew and he continued, "Besides, I saw all that I needed to see already in our fight. There was no point in continuing."

That confused her and she asked, "What do you mean by that?"

"A secondary ability of the form you saw me in is the ability to sense negative intentions and thoughts. Not once did I feel any of that from you. That proves to me that, though you work for the man who is an enemy to me and my friends, you are not all bad, Halibel." He then jerked his head towards the direction of Yammy and said, "You better go bail your partner out before he gets killed."

Stunned completely at what he said, she was only able to stay silent and begin heading that way. Before she left the area completely, she looked back to him and stated, "As I said before, you interest me, Naruto-san. I'm sure that we'll meet again."

He gave her a small grin and replied, "I'm looking forward to it, Tia-san."

She nodded and disappeared in a _Sonido_ leaving the Jinchuriki alone. Kushina took this moment to say to him, "I'm surprised at you, Naruto-kun."

'What do you mean?' he mentally asked.

"I'm surprised that you simply let her go. Wasn't she an enemy?"

'Maybe… Maybe not…' he replied.

"Well, I'm not at all surprised," Anko commented. "She seems to have something similar to you, even though I have no idea what it is. So, it wasn't a big surprise to me that you let her go."

"Me neither," Tsunade said. "You always had a way of connecting with people, Naruto; even your enemies. I wouldn't be surprised if the next time you saw her, she was slightly more open with you."

'I just did what I felt was right,' Naruto said to them.

Jiraiya was heard laughing as he commented, "We know that, kid, and we're just saying that what you did didn't surprise us all that much."

Naruto shrugged and mentally replied, 'If you say so,' before cutting off the link between his family. He then mentally asked his tenant, 'What do you think of my actions, Kurama?'

Kurama smirked as he replied, **"I honestly agree with the others, Kit. Hell, if you were able to connect with and befriend **_**me**_** of all people, then I'm sure that you could do the same with anybody you meet in the future."**

Naruto chuckled and said, 'I guess we'll just have to wait and see if that happens then, Fox.' He then ended the mental link and began heading back to the others.

Inside his mind, Kurama made one final comment. **"Your ability to connect with others is your **_**true**_** power, Naruto. It's what made you the man you are today; not the hardships you faced, but the actions made against them."**

(End)

And that is chapter 19! So, what did you guys think? I hope I did the fight scene pretty well and that I portrayed Halibel correctly. Questions, comments, concerns? PM me if you have them and don't forget to R&R!

Poll Reminder: Right now, Naruto "staying a mercenary" is in first place by about 5 votes. Remember, only one week left to vote people! So, if you haven't voted yet, be sure to do so.

Next Time: The task force sent by the Seireitei arrives! How will they act in the World of the Living? And what's this?! Naruto has an observer from the shadows?! Stay Tuned to find out who it is!

-pain17ification


	20. Chapter 20: Reinforcements & Trust

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has the task force sent by the Seireitei arrive and Naruto has a secret observer.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

Poll Review: The poll has ended with Naruto staying a mercenary! I tell ya, this poll had a _close_ finish. Mercenary had 53, 5th Division had 51, 9th Division had 48, and 3rd Division had 43! So, yea it was pretty close!

New Poll: I have a poll that concerns future FanFics that I want to try out. There are four choices to vote for, so please vote! The poll will be up until December!

"Speech"

'Thought/Mental speech'

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Author Notes/Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 20: Reinforcements and Trust

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Nope."

"That's _really_ all it takes?"

"Yep."

"…"

"Speechless I see."

"Yea and I'm shocked that transforming is so simple to do…"

"Well, you wanted to know how to do it otouto. I'm just telling you what you wanted to know."

The conversation of interest between Naruto and Yoruichi was Naruto being able to transform into an animal just like she can become a cat at will. Naruto was told by Yoruichi that all he had to do was focus his reiatsu and have it change his physical structure; just like the _Henge_ (Transformation Jutsu) back when he was alive. He still couldn't believe that it was that simple.

"Alright, here goes nothing; seriously." Naruto focused his reiatsu and willed it to change his form like he had done many times with chakra when he was alive. The reiatsu slowly engulfed him a bright light and blinded Yoruichi slightly.

When the light died down, Naruto was in the form of a blonde fox with red tipped ears and a red tipped tail. He was about the same size as a small dog and surprisingly had amethyst eyes instead of his regular blue ones.

"So, how do I look?"

Yoruichi was quiet for a moment before she grinned and got a glint in her eye that Naruto was slightly afraid of. "I think…"

Suddenly Naruto saw the world blur by until he was in the middle of the Women's Soccer field at Karakura High.

"…that you should probably run now," Yoruichi finished as she disappeared.

Naruto looked around and saw that a lot of the girls on the soccer team stopped their practicing and that their eyes brightened when they saw him in his fox form. 'Yoruichi, when I find you, I will kill you,' Naruto thought before he was scooped up by a player and cuddled within her C-Cup breasts. 'Then again, this isn't so bad.'

"Ha, I knew I'd turn you one of these days gaki!" came Jiraiya's voice while Naruto heard the other four groan in frustration.

'Shut it Jiraiya, or else I place you in a specially made area of my mind meant for erasing perverted thoughts,' Naruto warned. He smirked when he heard Jiraiya gulp in fear and the others chuckle at the Gama Sennin's misfortune.

After a while of being cuddled, petted, and gushed over, Naruto was able to get away from the soccer team and make it to the Urahara Shop… where Orihime noticed him and nearly suffocated him in her chest. He was about to reach the light at the end of the tunnel before Yoruichi pulled him away from Orihime.

"I take back what I said earlier about killing you now, neechan! Thank you!"

Yoruichi shook her head in amusement before she gave her foxy otouto a stern look. "Shouldn't you be waiting for the task force to arrive, Naruto?"

"Oh, right! I'll head back to the base now." He was about to jump out of her arms, but she kept a firm hold on him.

When he turned back to her with a confused look, she said, "I'm heading there now, so I'll take you. You do remember that I said I wanted in on the base, right?"

"Oh yeah, you did. Alright then, let's go." The two bid Orihime goodbye and began heading for Ichiraku's. Along the way, Naruto asked, "So what was Orihime doing at the shop?"

"She was a little down about the fact that she couldn't do much against the Arrancar when they arrived. She was hoping to get some training in, but we have no idea if she should even fight in the upcoming war."

"You really believe that it will come to that?"

Yoruichi was silent for a while before she said, "There is a good chance that it will come to war, and if it comes, we'll need to be ready."

"Maybe Orihime could learn from Unohana-Taicho as a medic?"

"That's not a bad idea, but she needs to _want_ to be a medic. Right now, she wants to fight alongside you all."

Naruto was quiet at that until they reached the ramen joint. Once there, Naruto jumped out of Yoruichi's arms and was engulfed in an orange glow before he was standing in the middle of the empty shop… stark naked.

Naruto began to panic before he noticed that his clothes had appeared next to him and he quickly got dressed. After he was clothed, he saw Yoruichi rolling on the floor in a fit of laughter.

"Shut up, neechan! I just forgot what you told me about how I appear naked when I change back!"

"I noticed; that's why it's so funny!" she said between her laughing fit.

Naruto ignored his sister figure and moved a painting of a Sakura Tree aside, revealing a dial pad. Naruto punched in a code and hit the "Enter" key. Once it confirmed that he punched in the correct code, some floor boards moved aside and revealed a staircase leading downward.

Naruto went down followed by a calmed Yoruichi and headed straight for the underground training area. Once there, he saw that a senkaimon had just begun to open. "Looks like we made it just in time."

"We would have been here earlier if you didn't drop me in between the soccer team."

"Hey, that was classic comedy right there, otouto."

"Whatever…"

When the senkaimon finished opening, 6 Shinigami stepped out. They were Toshiro Hitsugaya, Sui-Feng, Renji Abarai, Rangiku Matsumoto, Ikkaku Madarame, and Yumichika Ayasegawa. Hitsugaya and Sui-Feng had their usually serious looks, Renji watched Naruto with caution, Rangiku gave the red-blonde a wink and smile, Ikkaku looked to him with a challenging smirk, and Yumichika focused on his attire.

"Namikaze, I trust you were able to prepare a decent area for us to stay?" Toshiro questioned.

"Of course, Toshiro-san."

"That's _Hitsugaya-Taicho_ to you."

"I'll call you however I please, Snowball," Naruto retorted with a grin while Yoruichi and Rangiku giggled. "Anyway, follow me to your rooms."

After the task force got settled in their temporary homes, Naruto gave them a tour of the base. He showed them the meeting room, the monitor room, and told them about the shop he ran above the base. Toshiro found the base acceptable and so did the others. Naruto also laid down a rule for the base.

"If you're gonna live here, then you're gonna work for it. That means putting some hours in for the Ramen Shop. Understand?"

They reluctantly nodded, except for Rangiku who nodded with a smile. Her smile turned to a grin when she asked, "So, you cook the ramen right?"

"Yea…" Naruto answered hesitantly.

"Mind if we have a sample bowl?"

"Uh… Sure, I guess."

When he left to prepare the noodles, Toshiro turned to his fukutaicho. "What are you up to Rangiku?"

"Oh, nothing of the sort Taicho," she answered innocently.

After a couple of minutes, Naruto returned with a tray holding 8 small bowls of ramen. He gave the six task force members a bowl, one to Yoruichi, and had the last one for himself. They all tasted their ramen and felt their taste buds explode with flavor. The broth, noodles, meats, veggies, and spices were a symphony of flavor in their mouths. Naruto saw their looks of shock and chuckled to himself before he began eating his.

Rangiku finished hers first and walked over to where Naruto was sitting with a glint in her eye. When she reached him, she bent forward, giving him a small view of her impressive cleavage, and asked in her most sensual voice, "Can I have some more, _Naruto-sama_?"

Naruto had to fight back a nosebleed and a blush at her actions. He wasn't the only one holding back though. Sui-Feng was holding back her anger and the thought of strangling the 10 Division fukutaicho was constantly running through her mind. She was impressed though that Naruto was able to successfully keep himself together, even if she saw him having a little trouble doing so.

Naruto avoided Rangiku's request by saying that he had to check and see if the cameras were working correctly. He headed to the monitor room and observed the 6 screens, shifting between the two cameras each screen was responsible for every now and then. He noticed that a couple of them were having some difficulties and set off to fix them. Before he left, he told the Shinigami to get familiar with the place and with the shop upstairs since it was closed for the day.

Naruto then left the shop and headed for the two cameras that were having problems. One of them merely had a disconnected wire and was easily fixable, and the other had a cracked lens which he quickly replaced. Once he fixed up the cameras, he decided to take a stroll through town.

He was unaware of a person watching him from the shadows of the many buildings of Karakura Town. The person moved into the light slightly and was revealed to be Halibel. She was still unsure as to why Aizen was so interested in Naruto. Sure he was powerful and a skilled warrior, but so were many others in the Seireitei. She remembered back to when Aizen gave her this assignment.

A week before (Hueco Mundo)

Halibel was standing before Aizen after her report on how her battle with Naruto went. The other Espada were seated on pedestal like thrones behind Aizen's throne and were curious about this "Naruto" character.

"…And after he used the reiatsu that he said belonged to his 'tenant', he was able to move fast enough to get into my guard and surround me in the reiatsu. But then, he stopped using the reiatsu and informed me of Yammy's fight not going in his favor." This got Aizen to raise a brow slightly. "He then allowed me to leave without any problems to assist Yammy. He bid me farewell and that was it."

"So, he just let you go without a hassle?"

"Hai Aizen-sama."

"Hmm, I believe that we can use that respective nature of his to our advantage." He then smiled to Halibel and said, "I want you to observe him some more; alone this time. He is an interesting individual and he intrigues me."

"How do you wish me to accomplish this, Aizen-sama?"

"Observe him quietly and from afar. Keep your reiatsu as low as you can since I'm sure that Yamamoto will send a task force to help watch over Karakura Town."

"You just wish for me to observe?"

"Yes, as well as interact with him in a neutral way. Make sure that he knows that you mean no harm to him or his friends. I want you to try and figure out the puzzle that is Naruto Namikaze."

Present Time

'How am I supposed to interact with him without alerting the other Shinigami who have arrived?' she mused to herself as she followed him from about a two building distance. She noticed that he was quite friendly with the people he passed by and seemed to brighten up their day without any trouble at all. It was like he brought out the best in anyone he met, even an enemy like herself.

After her first encounter with the red-blonde, she began thinking over how he acted during the fight. He never disregarded her, insulted her, or saw her as a mindless beast. He may have said that about other Hollows, but he also said that she was the first one he ever had a decent conversation with. That proved that he wasn't stereotypical like many of the other Shinigami who viewed anything related to Hollows as evil. She didn't think that she'd ever meet anyone who acted like Naruto had when she before she met him.

'And now I have to lower myself to secretly observing him and interacting with him with negative intentions. He may be an enemy to Aizen, but I fail to see him as an enemy to myself.'

Tired of just watching from a distance, she decided to get his attention by releasing a small spike of reiatsu. When he stopped and looked around, she knew she had gotten his attention. So, she let a small amount leak from her reserves and headed to the town park where they first fought and talked. When she looked behind her, she was pleased to see that he was following her in his soul form.

Naruto was surprised that Halibel was back in the city. He wondered why she was here and why she seemed so intent on leading him somewhere. Seeing the situation as suspicious, he had his sword change to Hiraishin in case he needed to make a tactical retreat.

Once Halibel reached the park, she didn't have to wait even five seconds for Naruto to appear in front of her on the other side of the clearing. She noticed that he looked at her suspiciously with his weapon out and wasn't surprised. She decided to get the conversation going though.

"Nice to see you again, Naruto-san," she greeted with a nod.

He nodded back to her. "Nice to see you again as well, Tia-san. Is there a reason why you're here in Karakura Town?"

"I was sent here to observe you some more."

"Well no offence, but if you were supposed to do it secretly, then you've failed to do so."

"I was, but sneaking around the city just to watch you is beneath my abilities. I am no coward who hides from their target."

"So, I'm a target now? I assume that Aizen has seen me as 'worthy' of his time now?"

"Indeed he has. And as for the 'target' comment, you may be one to him, but not to me."

Naruto raised a brow and asked, "Then what am I to you?"

She was silent at first before she gave her answer. "You are... an enigma that I wish to understand. You are a Shinigami, yet you have a secondary reiatsu even darker than that of a Hollow. You see Hollows as enemies, but only when they have proven themselves to be nothing but a mindless beast. You let me go assist my partner at the time without so much as a single threat. And you have this… aura that seems to bring out the best in people, even your enemies. Just who are you really, Naruto Namikaze?"

It was Naruto's turn to be silent at the question. Was she trustworthy to know? Should he tell her about his life? Is she friend or foe?

"I'm afraid that I don't know you well enough to tell you everything, Tia-san. Granted you are different from other Hollows and seem far more trustworthy than they are, but I still know almost nothing about you. If you truly wish to know me and have me trust you, you must be willing to do the same."

Halibel saw the pure honesty in his eyes and knew that he truly wished to trust her. But would she be able to go against Aizen and the other Hollows? What about her Fracción (Subordinate Officers)? They were loyal to her, but would they follow her should she betray Hueco Mundo?

"I know that it is a lot to ask for, but trust asks for a lot from both parties. It sometimes has us do things we never thought we were capable of. The question is, Tia-san, are _you_ capable of proving yourself trustworthy?" Naruto asked her.

Halibel was still in thought over what to do. She was so confused about who Naruto was and wished to know, but could she trust him? Could she betray Aizen and his trust for Naruto's? She then thought about the last internal question. Aizen didn't rise to power by trust; he wiped out the ones who stood I his way. He deceived people with promises of fulfilling their desires and by offering them chances to gain "power". What he gave wasn't power. It was merely a way of saying that he was trustworthy when he really wasn't. Halibel knew Aizen could never be trustworthy and made her decision.

"Yes, I am capable, Naruto-san. I will place my trust in you and prove that I am worthy of the same."

Naruto smiled at her answer and put away his weapon. "You might as well get comfortable, Tia-san. My story is quite long," he suggested while sitting down against a nearby tree. She did the same and Naruto began his tale. "I was born in a village called Konohagakure (Village Hidden in the Leaves)…"

And so Naruto gave Halibel a brief overview of his life. He didnt go into too much detail and mainly focused on the key aspects of it. He told her of his birth, the sealing of Kurama inside of him, the betrayal of Sasuke, the threat of Tobi and the Akatsuki, and finally the sacrifices he made to end the war.

Halibel was so enthralled by his story and she hung on his every word. She felt a connection to him when he spoke of the sacrifices he had made and he had gone through. The Espada each represented a manner of death and hers was "Sacrifice". It seemed like they both had sacrificed much in their lives.

"And that's my story," Naruto finished after about an hour. "Now you know who I am and what I've lived through, so to speak." He then gave her a small smile and said, "Now it's your turn. What did you go through before Aizen found you?"

Halibel took a moment to gather her thoughts before she began. "Before I became an Arrancar, I was a near-humanoid Vasto Lorde class Menos. I was merely an inhabitant of Hueco Mundo and its vast sea of sand and moonlight. During my time as a Vasto Lorde, I met the three people who became my Fracción: Apacci, Mila Rose, and Sung-Sun. They were my followers and my friends. While we traveled, I resolved to get stronger without devouring the other Hollows of the land. I vowed that if I couldn't win alone, I would win with a group. Sometime during our travels, we had the occasional run in with the so-called 'King' of Hueco Mundo. He and I had a few dealings in the past before I met my Fracción and he gave me the choice to either join him or die. During the dealings, he had a subordinate of his try to persuade me, but I merely cut him down and knocked him aside. My actions both angered and impressed Baraggan and he let us go. Some years later, the same subordinate who tried to persuade me found our current lair and attacked us with his newly gained power. He was stronger than I was and wished to move up in the ranks of Hueco Mundo. As we fought, I told my friends to run and save themselves, but they stated that they would rather die alongside me. So the four of us fought the Hollow, but he easily knocked us aside and aimed to end me. Just before he did, Aizen appeared out of nowhere, stopped him, and easily killed him. He then apologized to me since he was the one who gave Arrancar powers to the Hollow, but not the rational thought to use them. He talked to me about the concept of sacrifice and deceived me into joining him by using my weakness to protect my friends against me. I joined him, became an Arrancar, joined the Espada with my friends as my Fracción, and served Aizen."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at Aizen's deception. He wouldn't be surprised if the Hollow that attacked Halibel was actually sent there by Aizen to do so before being disposed of like a used up tool. "It seems like Aizen has quite a way with getting what he wants. I'm sorry for what you had to go through, Tia-san."

"Thank you, and yes Aizen seems to always know exactly what to say to get the Hollows of Hueco Mundo to join him. I refuse to serve a false leader, though. I know of Aizen's lies and deceptive ways and I refuse to serve a man who uses cowardly methods to gain power."

"Then why don't you change sides? You could do so much more if you joined us. I could vouch for you and, if the Shinigami wished you harm, I would stand up for you. You aren't meant to live the life you lead, Tia-san. You aren't a servant of some coward; you are a warrior, a friend, and a leader. You know that I'm right."

Halibel couldn't deny that what Naruto said meant a lot to her. He believed in her and promised to stand up should the others mistrust her and saw her as a leader and not a servant. He even offered her the chance to change sides and better herself. But, she still had one thing to worry about.

"What of my friends? How will I be able to help them if I'm not there?"

"I never said that they couldn't join you. If they truly wish to follow you and help us, then I'll vouch for them as well. Friends and the bonds made with them should never be forgotten or severed. Sasuke did so back in my old life and it cost him dearly in the end. I wouldn't wish that kind of fate for any other person."

"Do you really believe that I can better myself if I join you?"

"I do, Tia-san. You just have to believe that you can do so. Part of sacrifices is to never let them be in vain. Never ignore what you have sacrificed to get to where you are now."

"Then, if you truly wish me to, I will join you, Naruto."

"It shouldn't be because I wish it of you, Halibel. This is _your_ choice to join or not; _your_ decision."

"Then I choose to join you, for both my friends and for the sacrifices we have made."

Naruto smiled at her answer and held out a hand to her. "Then welcome to the team, Halibel-chan."

Halibel was surprised at the endearing suffix, but smiled back to the red-blonde. "Thank you for this, Naruto."

Naruto may not have seen her smile due to the zip-up collar, but he saw her eyes gain a small spark of happiness when she thanked him. "Alright then, let's get to the Urahara Shop and get you acquainted," Naruto said before leading the way.

Halibel followed him and knew that she made the right choice. She couldn't explain it, but she felt as if the emptiness she felt as a Hollow was slowly disappearing after she chose to join Naruto. Now, all she had to do was help her friends leave Hueco Mundo.

'I won't fail you three again, my friends,' she vowed as she followed Naruto.

(End)

And that was chapter 20! Halibel has now joined Naruto and the Shinigami in the fight against Aizen! Are you guys as excited as I am? I hope so, or else I failed at this chapter. Don't forget to PM if you have questions and to R&R!

Next Time: Grimmjow and his Fracción appear! What will happen should he find out that Halibel betrayed Aizen? Stay Tuned!

New Poll Reminder: I have a poll that concerns future FanFics that I want to try out. There are four choices to vote for, so please vote! The poll will be up until December first!

That's all for now!

-pain17ification


	21. Chapter 21: Threats Arise

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has Naruto convincing the Seireitei to accept Halibel and Grimmjow's first appearance.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (Maybe if I fold 1000 Paper Cranes and wish for it, then it might be someday…)

Poll Notice: I have reposted the poll after noticing that many of you voted before I put up summaries for the story ideas I had. Sorry to those who already voted, but I want you guys to have an idea of the story before you just vote on it.

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'_**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**_

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 21: Threats Arise

Naruto and Halibel were currently heading to Urahara's shop at a leisurely pace. He was ahead of her which allowed her to go over her thoughts.

'_Did I really just say I was betraying Aizen? What is wrong with me? How could I have just accepted his trust and told him of my past so easily?'_ She then noticed that he had stopped in front of the soul of a young girl who was crying and stating that she was lost. Halibel noticed Naruto calm her down and console her. He even let the young soul cry on his shoulder for a bit before she finally calmed down enough for him to talk to her. Halibel then decided to listen in on their conversation.

"B-But I'm scared to go…" the girl whispered to Naruto.

"Don't worry. I'm sure that you'll be much better off when you pass on. This place is full of people who don't care about what happens around them." He then wiped a tear from her face. "This place doesn't deserve your tears. They're full of life and are a part of you. Don't give the place that deserted you a part of yourself. Okay?"

The girl sniffled a bit more as tears threatened to come out again. She looked to the man in front of her and saw him giving her a warm smile. She smiled back as she wiped away the tears before they left her eyes. "Who are you, mister?"

Naruto's smile grew into a foxy grin at how innocent she sounded. "My name's Naruto. How about you?"

"I'm Vika Tamaki." Her smile turned back to a scared look and she questioned, "Are you sure that things will be better after you help me?"

Naruto kept his grin and gave the girl a thumbs-up. "I promise that it will be much better than wandering the streets." Seeing the girl smile again and nod, he pulled out his sword and had the pommel of it about an inch from her head. "Ready?" Vika nodded again and Naruto tapped the pommel lightly on her head. Once it touched her, the girl's form began to glow and she gave Naruto one last smile before she faded away into spirit particles. Naruto gave one last smile to where she once stood and whispered, "Rest in peace, Vika Tamaki."

Halibel was impressed at how well Naruto had handled the Konso. She had seen quite a few before but not many performed them like Naruto had. Where most Shinigami urged the souls to accept it in a rude or sometimes demanding way, Naruto took his time with the soul and made sure that the girl knew exactly what was going to happen. He even took the time to learn the girl's name and wished her peace after he finished.

'_I suppose that is why I accepted his trust. The way he interacts with the world is very different compared to how Aizen interacts with it. Where Aizen sees the world as something to control as a god, Naruto connects with the world and makes himself a part of it. Naruto Namikaze, I look forward to seeing how you plan to deal with the threat that will come.'_

"Well," Naruto started, breaking her out of her thoughts, "now that Vika has moved on let's get a move on ourselves."

She nodded and resumed following him to the Urahara's. It took some time to reach the place at the pace they were going, but they had made it to the shop by mid-afternoon.

Naruto turned to Halibel, his face full of worry, and asked, "Are you sure you want to do this?"

She was confused at the sudden question. Didn't she state that she wished to join him earlier? Why ask again now when they were literally about 10 steps from the inside of the shop?

Naruto saw her confusion and elaborated his question. "Once you step in, there's no going back. You'll be going against both Aizen and the Hollows who serve him. I just want to be sure that you feel that you're ready for that."

Halibel took this time to think about it one last time. She had no real allies back in Hueco Mundo besides her Fracción, so there wasn't really anyone else she would be going against. Plus, she was planning on getting her friends out of that place as soon as she could. She really saw no reason to second guess herself now.

Looking to the red-blonde face-to-face she nodded in the affirmative. "Yes I'm sure. I have no one else back in Hueco Mundo who I see as a friend besides my Fracción, so I am ready."

Naruto nodded before leading her inside the shop. At the small table were Urahara, Tessai, and Yoruichi. They turned to greet Naruto before they caught sight of Halibel behind him. They quickly shook off their initial shock and tensed themselves in preparation for a fight.

Naruto placed himself more in front of Halibel and stared his two friends and sister figure down. "Don't worry, she isn't our enemy anymore."

Yoruichi looked at him in confusion. "Not our enemy? What do you mean?"

"She has decided to join us in our fight against Aizen. In exchange, she wants her friends to receive asylum from Aizen should her betrayal be discovered."

"What makes you so sure? I mean she could be attempting to deceive you into letting your guard down so that she could strike us down," Yoruichi argued.

Naruto didn't back down and replied, "True, however I trust her. She could have struck me down at anytime yet she didn't. She's been nothing but honest and civil with me and I can see that she dislikes working for Aizen greatly. I have chosen to accept her for who she is and she has accepted my offer to join us."

Yoruichi sighed at her otouto's statement. She had a feeling this would happen since Kisuke had mentioned something about it sometime ago, but she still was surprised to see that it actually happened. "Are you positive that we can trust her?"

"Don't make me repeat myself. I gave her the choice to join and she accepted. We need all the help we can get, and someone who once served Aizen is a great addition. Not to mention she knows the layout of the enemy territory, which allows us the chance to infiltrate their base very effectively."

Yoruichi looked like she wanted to say something more but stopped when Kisuke put his hand on her shoulder. She knew that Naruto had made up his mind, so she just remained silent and waited to see how this would play out.

"Are you prepared for the repercussions of your actions, Naruto?" Kisuke asked his friend.

"Without a shred of doubt."

Kisuke kept a stern gaze on Naruto and the Jinchuriki matched the shopkeeper's stare. They kept it up before Urahara smiled and said, "Alright, I was actually expecting this from you Naruto, so I will give her a chance. However, you do realize that you'll have to let the task force know of this and not to mention the Seireitei needs to know as well."

"I know which is why I came here first. There isn't a doubt in my mind that you have ways of contacting the old man. Set up a connection link and I'll talk to him immediately."

Kisuke smirked at the request and replied, "I'm already one step ahead of you and am waiting for a connection to link up now. Give it a minute and it'll be up soon." He then left to wait for the link to finish setting up with Tessai leaving the other three alone in the room.

"So, what's her name anyway?" Yoruichi asked after coming to terms with the situation.

Naruto turned to the ex-Espada who greeted, "Tia Halibel, ex-Terceira Espada. We met once already Yoruichi Shihoin when I returned to Hueco Mundo with Yammy."

"I know but I never caught your name until now."

"How long until a communication link can be made neechan?" Naruto asked.

Yoruichi turned to the doorway Kisuke and Tessai left through and shrugged. "Not sure honestly. If I had to make a guess, I'd say that Kisuke could have one up-"

"It's ready Naruto," Tessai said as he reentered the room.

"Now," Yoruichi finished with a small grin.

Naruto and the other three went to the room Kisuke was in and Naruto was surprised at the sight. In the room was a large monitor that looked to be made of the same material as the walls in the Dangai Precipice world and had some extensions made of similar material attaching the monitor to the walls of the room. Yamamoto was staring directly at him from his side of the communication link and he did not seem pleased.

"What's this I hear of you allowing a Hollow to join our cause, Namikaze?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the Sotaicho and countered, "Is it so wrong for an Arrancar to join when you already have Ichigo, a Demi-Shinigami with Hollow power, and me, a person with demonic power, on your side? You accepted us and our so-called 'darkness', so what's wrong with one more 'dark' person joining our cause?"

The Sotaicho narrowed his eyes at Naruto's lack of respect. "You forget your place Namikaze! You offered to assist us in the war, and in my eyes, bringing an enemy into our midst so willingly goes against assisting us."

"No, you forget _your_ place Yamamoto! I don't have to listen to a damn thing you say and you wanna know why? It's because I don't serve the Seireitei! Like you just said, I _assist_ you in your efforts against that bastard Aizen. As a mercenary, I have the right to end any contract of work any time I wish. You don't own me like you do the other Shinigami of the Seireitei. I'm a freelancer, so I'll do as I please and make sure that Aizen goes down; with or without the Seireitei's aid."

Yamamoto glared furiously at Naruto but knew that he was right. Naruto was just a soldier for hire, not an actual soldier of the Seireitei. He wasn't finished yet though. "You say you're a freelancer Namikaze? That statement makes you seem much less trustworthy in my eyes. Who's to say that you won't betray the Seireitei should the time to do so be in your favor? You bringing a Hollow into your employ furthers my suspicions of your true intentions! You say you plan to assist us, but for how long will you do so?"

"I assist you until Aizen is dead or no longer a threat. As for Halibel being brought into my employ? I offered her the choice to assist us and her choice to join us was a decision made of her own free will. So as long as she is assisting us, she is a mercenary just like I am. Anything she does against the Seireitei and your Shinigami will be my responsibility. I'm sure that will satisfy any further doubts you have about her."

Yamamoto narrowed his eyes in thought over Naruto's statements. It didn't seem like a completely bad idea, especially with Namikaze being responsible for anything the Hollow does against them. Yamamoto then made his decision and nodded at Naruto. "Very well, so long as you keep a close watch on her and make sure she stays out of trouble I will allow this."

"I wasn't asking for your approval. I was merely being courteous enough to let you know of my decision and was also telling you so that you can explain it to the task force you sent to make sure that they won't cause any problems for Halibel and me."

"Fine, I will let them know not to attack, but you will be the one to present her to them. Until you do, I will stay silent about this."

"Alright, I'll introduce her to them now and contact you from my base after I've done so. Stay close to your computer old man," Naruto said before he cut the connection.

"He took that well," Kisuke commented with a sly grin.

"At least he understands what I wanted him to d tell the task force." Naruto then turned to Halibel and noticed that she still had a calm attitude. "How are you holding up?"

She looked to him and saw that he had a slightly worried look again which slightly annoyed her. _'Why is he so worried for me? Am I really so important for him to worry about me so much?'_ she thought before she responded, "I'm fine Naruto-san, however we should probably go meet this task force you mentioned to the Sotaicho."

Naruto nodded and started heading to the underground training room that connected the shop to the base. Yoruichi, after transforming into her cat form, perched herself on his shoulder on his way out. Halibel followed after them leaving Kisuke and Tessai alone at the shop. Tessai turned to Kisuke and asked, "Do you think we made the right decision?"

Kisuke smiled to his friend and flourished his fan in front of his face. "I'm sure that things will work themselves out. We just need to make sure that we're prepared for the upcoming events."

"And those 'events' would be…?"

Kisuke lost his childish façade and became serious at the question. "…I would assume the answer to your question is war."

At the Forward Operating Base

Naruto was currently in the training ground under the base and was about to climb up the steps to enter the base before he noticed Sui-Feng training some distance away. He observed her as she practiced her _Shunkō_ technique and noticed that she had gotten much better at it.

"It's good but not quite there yet," Yoruichi commented on her old student's progress.

"It truly is an impressive technique. Most Arrancar would be hard pressed to avoid taking damage from that," Halibel stated.

Sui-Feng felt their presences and turned to face them before she locked eyes with Halibel. Without hesitation, Sui-Feng flew at her and poised Suzumebachi to strike. Strike she did, but it wasn't Halibel she hit. Naruto placed himself in the way of the attack and received a stab wound to his chest. His face cringed in slight pain as the butterfly mark appeared over the center of his chest. Sui-Feng's eyes widened in shock at what Naruto had done before they narrowed in anger at him.

"Why are you protecting her? She's a Hollow and an agent of Aizen!"

Naruto was silent as he looked over his wound with healing reiatsu. It took him a few seconds before he was able to close the wound, however he was unable to remove the mark and looked to Sui-Feng expectantly. She still had her eyes narrowed at him and he sighed in slight irritation. The day had been long for him.

"I'm protecting her because she is our now ally and a fellow mercenary. She has decided to go against Aizen and assist us in taking the bastard down. Yamamoto already knows of the situation and I'm supposed to contact him after I introduced Halibel to you and the others."

That surprised Sui-Feng. "The Sotaicho knows about this? And he agreed to it?!"

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly and replied, "It was never his decision to make. I chose to offer Halibel the choice to join us and she accepted. She's my responsibility and anything she does against the Seireitei will be my fault since I gave her the offer. Now, I'm gonna go let the others know of the situation before I contact the old man again. If you want to come, that's fine. If not…" his eyes looked slightly hurt as he finished, "that's fine too."

As he left with Halibel, Sui-Feng watched on sadly. She didn't want to hurt Naruto at all, but he brought a Hollow into their midst. How was she supposed to react? Was she just supposed to ignore the Hollow and her duty to strike it down? She didn't know what to do.

Yoruichi saw her old student's confused and slightly hurt face. She felt sorry for Sui-Feng and was able to understand her confusion over Halibel, but she also trusted her otouto and the decisions he made. So unless the Arrancar did something harmful to them or their cause, she would work with Halibel but keep an eye on her at the same time.

Once Naruto and Halibel made it back inside the base, the ex-Espada turned to the red-blonde and saw that his expression still showed that what happened back there had slightly hurt him. "Are you going to be alright?"

Naruto was brought out of his thoughts at the question. He looked to Halibel in slight surprise at the sound of slight worry in her voice. Usually he was the one worrying so it felt nice to hear someone else worry for him as well.

"Yea, I'll be fine," he answered with a small smile. He then increased his pace down the hallways and, "We should probably hurry. We don't want Yamamoto to have to wait on us any longer than necessary."

She nodded and the two continued towards the rest of the task force. They found them in the monitor room with Hitsugaya vigilantly watching the screens. At the sound of their footsteps, he turned to face them while saying, "It's about time you came back, Namikaze. I'm sure that it doesn't take that long to fix-"

He stopped when he noticed Halibel and both the Arrancar and Naruto mentally groaned at the expected reaction. As they predicted, the task force pulled out their Zanpakuto and were about to strike. Naruto was faster though and released Uzuhime in a flash before he used his _Kusari no Reiatsu_ (Spirit Energy Chains) and wrapped them around their blades.

Hitsugaya was not pleased at what Naruto had done. "Namikaze, what the hell do you think you're doing?!"

"I'm defending a comrade!" he yelled back surprising everyone in the room. The task force was surprised that he would defend a Hollow while Halibel was surprised that he saw her as a comrade. "Now withdraw your swords, or else I may have to request a new task force to come and replace the old one."

Hitsugaya growled before he reluctantly complied. He nodded to the others, telling them to do the same. After everyone had their weapons withdrawn, Naruto explained the situation with Halibel and how Yamamoto reluctantly agreed to it. He then went to the monitor and typed in a few keys on the keyboard before a com-link with Yamamoto was reestablished. Before he was able to address the other Shinigami, Sui-Feng and Yoruichi stepped into the room and stood by the others. Once he confirmed that they were all there, Yamamoto told them what Naruto had said about how Halibel was now an ally in this war. He didn't hesitate to tell them to watch her though. The task force acknowledged the Sotaicho's order and told him that they would keep an eye on her before the connection was cut.

After Naruto cut the link, he turned to the task force and queried, "I trust that Halibel being here won't cause too many problems?"

They reluctantly agreed and Naruto left the room with Halibel. Once they were away from the Shinigami, Halibel whispered, "Thank you."

"Don't mention it," he answered with a reassuring smile as he led her back outside of the base and began heading for the Vizard's place. When she asked where they were going, he merely told her that he was going to introduce her to some more of his friends.

Once they arrived at the warehouse, Naruto placed his hand on the barrier and pulsed his reiatsu against it. The pulse notified Hachi of Naruto's reiatsu signature and he allowed the two of them to enter. Once inside, the two of them noticed that Ichigo was in the middle of training in his Vizard Form with Hiyori. Once the others noticed the new arrivals, they stopped their respective activities which involved reading manga, reading Icha-Icha, bothering Kensei, and watching Ichigo train before they looked to Naruto expectantly.

Naruto sighed and explained for the fifth time in a single day the situation with Halibel. The Vizards saw no problems with it and Ichigo trusted his friend's decision which made Naruto sigh in relief. After the situation was explained and agreed with, everyone went back to what they were doing while Naruto and Halibel watched Ichigo train with Hiyori.

Unknown to them, dark forces were making their way to the city.

Hueco Mundo

In Aizen's throne room, the ex-Taicho was addressing the Sexta (Sixth) Espada Grimmjow Jaegerjaques, his Fracción, and Tosen about a task he wanted them to do for him.

"So you want us to go and see what the hell is taking Halibel so damn long?" asked Grimmjow.

"Exactly. She hasn't given us an update on her observations of that man, Namikaze. I want you all to go in case she has acted against our best interests. Should she be seen as a traitor, you know what to do."

"Okay, then what the fuck is Tosen doing going with us?"

"I'm coming to make sure that you and your subordinates don't go overboard on the task Aizen-sama has given you," stated the blind ex-Taicho.

"So you're saying that you're my damn babysitter?! I don't need anyone to watch over me!"

"Now now Grimmjow, let's just say that he's your backup in case things go wrong," Aizen said to him.

Grimmjow growled at that but reluctantly complied. He had been victim to the immense reiatsu Aizen emitted and knew how powerful it was. He would obey but only until he was strong enough to take his rightful place as king.

After Grimmjow and his subordinates left, Aizen turned to Tosen for one last order. "Make sure that Grimmjow doesn't desert us Tosen. I have a feeling that Halibel already has, however I will wait until I see the proof."

"And what of her Fracción should Halibel betraying us be true?"

"I will wait on my decision concerning them until I know what has become of her. Now, you should go before Grimmjow and his men leave without you."

"As you command Aizen-sama," Tosen said as he bowed to him.

Once Tosen was gone, Aizen lost his smile for a slight frown. "Namikaze Naruto… Just what is it about you that makes you such a problem for my plans?"

Karakura Town (Late Night)

Naruto, Ichigo, and Halibel were currently patrolling the streets of the city in search of any Hollows that were threatening the innocent souls that inhabited the town. Ichigo had gotten farther in maintaining his Vizard Form. He was now able to successfully hold the mask for about 10 minutes before it became too much for him to handle. Naruto had also taken some time to train in his Kyubi Form. While Ichigo trained with Hiyori, Naruto trained with Halibel who had also gotten a little stronger during the session. Halibel's sword skills had improved in strength and reaction time due to Naruto's speedy assault in his Kyubi Form. She was able to hold him off for about 7 minutes before she stated that she would probably have to resort to her Resurrección Form.

The term confused Naruto, so she explained that it was like when a Shinigami released their Zanpakuto, but instead of the sword changing, the Arrancar changed. Naruto was interested in seeing what her Resurrección looked like, but she stated that it was too dangerous to simply "test out". It released a massive output of reiatsu and was extremely challenging to revert back to her sealed state. After he heard that bit of info, Naruto dropped the subject.

They had been patrolling for a couple hours and Ichigo was about to head for home before Halibel noticed a rip appear in the sky.

"We've got company." Naruto looked to where she noticed the rip and gave her a confused look. "That is a Garganta (Black Cavity), a type of portal that holds a dimension similar to the Dangai, but it connects Hueco Mundo to wherever we choose to go to. The size of the rip determines the size of the force behind it."

Naruto looked again to the rip and narrowed his eyes as he saw that it was about fifteen feet in width. "So, how large would you say the force is on this one?"

Halibel watched the Garganta with narrowed eyes as well and estimated as close a guess as possible. "I would assume at least six, maybe seven people."

"Damn it…" Naruto cursed before releasing Hiraishin and making a clone. Once the clone was made, Naruto ordered it to gather the task force as quick as possible. The clone nodded and disappeared in a _Kouyaku_. Naruto then jumped onto the roof of a four story building and waited for the Garganta to finish forming. Halibel stood next to him as well as Ichigo who readied Zangetsu. Naruto then turned to Halibel and said, "You might want to avoid being seen."

She gave him a slightly annoyed look as she asked, "And why is it that you'd suggest that?"

"I'm sure that they don't know of your betrayal yet. So if you remain out of sight, they can't label you as a traitor. Play along with them until the moment is just right."

"And that would be…?"

"When they are about to leave or their numbers have dropped considerably."

Halibel couldn't argue with his logic. So long as she appeared loyal, they couldn't call her a traitor and she'd be free of suspicion. She nodded and headed for the Urahara Shop to remain hidden. As soon as she left, the Garganta finished opening and a man with blue hair, an open shirt, and a jaw-like mask fragment on the right side of his face stepped out followed by six others.

Naruto and Ichigo recognized one of them as Tosen, but the other five were unknowns. Naruto used _Kouyaku_ to appear in front of them with Hiraishin at the ready. Ichigo appeared next to him in a _Shunpo_ and the duo stared down the seven intruders with narrowed eyes.

Grimmjow stared back but he had a predatory grin on his face at the sight of the red-blonde Aizen was so interested in. "Well, isn't this nice? A welcoming comity for me and my friends."

"I suggest you leave Arrancar, or else we'll make you," Naruto stated.

Grimmjow's grin grew and he began laughing at Naruto's statement. "You'll 'make us leave'? Ha! Not likely, but you're welcome to try Shinigami!"

Now it was Naruto's turn to laugh, but it was mainly a chuckle. At Grimmjow's confused look, Naruto said, "Now, already you're wrong. I'm not a Shinigami."

"Then what the fuck are you?" Grimmjow asked with narrowed eyes.

Naruto smirked before he disappeared in a yellow flash and reappeared right in front of the Espada, _Rasengan_ at the ready. "I'm one of a kind!" he yelled before he plunged the reiatsu orb into Grimmjow's gut and sent him rocketing toward the streets below. Grimmjow crashed into the street and tore through it as he slid from the force of the attack. Naruto then disappeared in another yellow flash and went after Grimmjow, leaving the Espada's Fracción and Tosen alone with Ichigo who ascended into Bankai after Naruto struck.

The Fracción were about to go and assist Grimmjow but were stopped by the arrival of the task force. Sui-Feng narrowed her eyes at Tosen and was itching for a rematch. Hitsugaya decided to take control of the situation. "Sui-Feng-Taicho, you take Tosen. Leave the rest to us."

The Stealth Force Taicho nodded and went after the traitorous Taicho who left in a _Shunpo_. On the way she sent a Hell Butterfly to the Seireitei to ask them for permission to remove the reiatsu limiters that were placed on them before they came to the city.

Hitsugaya then ordered the remaining members to pick a target and stick to them. He went after the one that had his mask is on the top of his head, with a portion dropping down to cover the upper-left half of his face, and a long spike that points to his right.

Rangiku went for the slightly chubby one that had the remains of his Hollow mask covering the right half of his face.

Ikkaku went for the one that had a red hair covering one half of his head and the other half shaved black. His Hollow mask merely had the eye holes, which rested on his nose and made him look as if he was wearing unusual glasses. Yumichika followed him to observe the fight.

Renji went for the blonde one that had the remains of his Hollow mask sit atop of his head, vaguely resembling a broken helmet.

Ichigo was left with the one that had the remains of his Hollow mask in the shape of a bulky helmet, similar in design to a hammerhead shark, and had the right-hand side of his mask wrapped in bandages.

Sui-Feng vs. Tosen

Sui-Feng started off the battle by using her speed to outmaneuver Tosen's blade vibration strikes. He was able to keep her at bay by using his Zanpakuto's screeching ability to throw off her senses at the last second for her attacks. Sui-Feng then decided to pump reiatsu into her legs to speed up and was behind him in a flash before she plunged Suzumebachi into his back which left a butterfly mark over the wound. Tosen then used _Shunpo_ to make some distance before he used his Zanpakuto to create multiple blades from the vibrations it made.

Sui-Feng scoffed before she dodged them all with relative ease. She readied for another lunge before she was forced to dodge a _Byakurai_ from Tosen. The pale lightning tore right through clouds that floated across the night sky. Sui-Feng then decided not to take it easy anymore and prepared her _Shunkō_ technique to strike down the traitor.

She lunged at him faster than before and sliced him on the side, resulting in a large butterfly mark taking up most of his right side. She launched herself at him again, but he countered by using _Dankū_ (Severing Void) at the last second. She ran into the Kido wall and was pushed back by the force of her own attack. Tosen kept the wall up after she hit it, so Sui-Feng reared her arm back and punched at the wall, creating a blast of Kido energy that easily broke through the Bakudo.

"You've gotten better since our last encounter Sui-Feng."

Sui-Feng scoffed and countered, "It seems like you haven't changed at all Tosen. Last time I pushed you to use Bankai, yet now you seem hesitant to do so. Care to explain why?"

"Simple: to do so would be wasted effort on my part. Do you honestly believe that I was fighting you at full strength back in the Seireitei? If so, then your perceptive skills have most definitely dropped."

Sui-Feng growled at that and prepared _Shunkō_ once more before she lunged. She began using her speed and having afterimages follow her strikes to try and throw off Tosen. He was able to easily deduce which one was the real Sui-Feng though based on sound alone.

Suddenly, a Hell Butterfly flew to Sui-Feng alerting her that her request to drop the limiter was accepted, so released her limiter that held back about 80% of her power. She started to move faster than ever and was able to land many more hits on Tosen before he countered by releasing as much reiatsu into one final screech from his blade. The high pitched noise was too much for her since she was so close to him and she became disoriented enough for him to leave and prepare for a tactical retreat.

Hitsugaya vs. Shawlong

Hitsugaya wasted no time in starting his fight with Shawlong. He released his Zanpakuto, Hyōrinmaru (Ice Ring), and began utilizing the ice based abilities to try and freeze the Arrancar. Shawlong was able to easily deduce his Zanpakuto's abilities and made sure to dodge or react accordingly. Hitsugaya noticed that he wasn't going anywhere in just Shikai, so he began to raise his reiatsu and ascend to Bankai.

"Get ready to meet your end, Hollow! Bankai: Daiguren Hyōrinmaru (Grand Crimson Lotus Ice Ring)!" Toshiro gained ice wings, an ice tail, clawed feet made of ice, and had three ice shapes in the form of flowers behind him.

Hitsugaya then rushed at his opponent and was able to get an edge over him by mixing in attacks with his tail. The tail froze Shawlong's arm and began to slowly encase the Arrancar in ice. However, Shawlong was soon able to break out and deduced that, since Hitsugaya was now in Bankai, using his Resurrección to kill him would be much better.

Shawlong then releases his Zanpakuto which makes him grow armor that covers his arms and upper chest, while his hands transform into long claws and his mask extends down to cover the left side of his face, while the part of his mask fragment extending out to his right becomes a claw-tipped tail.

As soon as he releases his Resurrección, he slices Hitsugaya from the left shoulder to the right side of his waist in a flash. Hitsugaya was unprepared for the speedy strike and received a deep wound that began to bleed profusely. As he held his wound, he glared at his opponent with fury and was about to rush in again before he felt Sui-Feng's reiatsu skyrocket. He mentally smirked at that and knew that he was now able to fight at full strength.

Toshiro released the limiter seal on his person and his reiatsu restored itself to full strength. After he recovered his power, he used the speed held back from the limiter to appear directly behind Shawlong and stabbed him into his back and straight through the chest. The blade began to quickly freeze the Arrancar completely.

"You've lost Hollow," the 10th Division Taicho stated.

Shawlong smirked at that and retorted, "That may be, but don't think that this is over Shinigami. More of us will come and when they do, you will all die like the flies you are!" With his final words said, Shawlong became completely encased in the ice which shattered and killed the Arrancar.

Rangiku vs. Nakeem

Nakeem seemed to have the immediate edge over Rangiku due to her limiter and felt that he didn't even need to use his Resurrección. That all changed though when she felt her Taicho release his limiter and did the same. Once she was at full strength, she began to use _Shunpo_ to match his _Sonido_ allowing her to easily keep up with him and soon outmatch him in speed before she suddenly disappeared from his sight.

Nakeem looked around frantically before he felt his body disintegrating. He then heard Rangiku cry out, "Growl, Haineko (Ash Cat)!" and knew no more as his body disappeared with the ash from her Zanpakuto.

Ikkaku vs. Edrad

Currently, Edrad had battled Ikkaku to the point of releasing his Resurrección, Volcánica (Volcanic Beast), and Ikkaku releasing his Shikai, Hōzukimaru (Demon Light). However, even with his Shikai Ikkaku was slowly losing against Edrad and his pure strength. Ikkaku was thinking of calling it quits before he felt the others release their limiters and win their respective battles. He smirked to himself and figured that it was too soon to die before he released his own.

As Edrad went for one last punch, Ikkaku easily took the blow and even blocked some of the force with his slightly broken Shikai.

"Hey, I want to get serious but you have to promise to keep this a secret for me. Alright?" asked Ikkaku much to the confusion of his opponent.

The Arrancar shrugged and said, "It doesn't matter to me since you're about to die, but sure I'll keep your next attack a secret."

"Thanks. Now then, Bankai: Ryūmon Hōzukimaru (Dragon Crest Demon Light)!" Ikkaku's spear then changed into a three-part weapon of incredible size. His two main weapons were a Chinese Monk's spade and a standard Guan Dao. Both had a traditional horsehair tassel at the hilt and a long cylindrical weight for a pommel. The pommels were connected by a heavy chain to the center section, which resembled an axe-like blade with a parallel handle forged into the blunt end and a dragon crest on one side of the blade.

Edrad was surprised at the form the Bankai took.

"That's an impressive Bankai Shinigami. It looks as if it takes much skill to wield."

Ikkaku scoffed at that. "It's too soon for you to be impressed Arrancar."

"Oh and why is that?"

"You see, my Zanpakuto is incredibly lazy so it needs to be woken up by constant battling. You see the dragon crest on the center weapon? It acts as a meter that measures the output of reiatsu used to strengthen my Bankai."

Edrad noticed that the crest was about a sixth of the way full and went to strike before Ikkaku could summon more power.

Unfortunately for him, Edrad was unable to reach him fast enough as Ikkaku grabbed the center weapon by its handle and used it to spin the other two weapons around overhead.

"This is bothersome but I think I'll need all the strength I can to take you out. So just sit back and be patient pal," Ikkaku stated as he kept spinning the weapon. With each successful spin, the crest gained more energy and filled up more. Edrad was unable to get close enough due to the wind picking up and keeping him at bay with its force.

Once the crest reached its limit, Ikkaku rushed at Edrad and swung one of his oversized weapons at the Arrancar. Edrad raised his arm and expected his Hierro (Iron Skin) to hold off the attack. He was proven wrong when his arm received a deep gash from the weapon. However, Edrad noticed that the weapon had become slightly brittle at the tip. _'So it seems that the output of reiatsu is too much for the blades to handle. With each strike, the metal will become weaker and weaker until it fully breaks.'_

Ikkaku noticed it as well and cursed mentally. _'Damn it, the Bankai's already breaking apart. I need to end this now!'_

The two then went for one final clash that caused an explosion upon impact. At first glance, the fight seemed to be a draw before Edrad was seen falling towards the earth. Ikkaku soon fell after him but he was caught by Yumichika before he could hit the ground. The 5th seat looked to the dead Arrancar and stated, "You did well Ikkaku and don't worry, your secret is safe with me."

Renji vs. Yylfordt

The fight between the 6th Division Fukutaicho and the 15th Arrancar had been very long and violent. Renji was currently standing in front of a downed Ururu who was being held protectively by Jinta. She had entered what Jinta labeled "genocide mode" due to the dense reiatsu in the air and fought Yylfordt in a trance-like state.

At first, Ururu held fought fairly well and was able to combat the Arrancar on equal ground. That was the case until Yylfordt released his Resurrección, Del Toro (Pale-Horned Prince), and skewered her clean through her stomach with one of his large horns. He laughed at her when she broke out of her trance before he threw her away. Fortunately she was caught by Jinta, who then attempted to strike Yylfordt with his bat, but failed to damage him. Yylfordt then knocked the redhead aside easily before he turned to his original opponent.

Renji knew he had to keep the teens out of the way, so he used his Bankai, Hihiō Zabimaru (Baboon King Snake Tail), to protect the three of them by surrounding them with its bone-like segments. Yylfordt was impressed at the sight before he charged and rammed his horns straight through the Bankai, leaving Renji with a deep wound in his chest.

Thinking that the battle was over and that Renji was defeated, Yylfordt began to laugh at Renji's weakened form. "You see now Shinigami? You cannot win because you are far too weak to face me! Now I'll do you the honor of putting you out of your misery!" He began to charge at Renji and the other two the last time and Renji cursed himself for underestimating his opponent.

Renji was ready to defend Ururu and Jinta from the strike before he noticed that the others had released their limiters. He smirked at that before he released his own limiter and regained his strength. Yylfordt was surprised at the rise in reiatsu but ignored it as he kept up his charge.

Renji kept his smirk as he prepared his Bankai's special attack: Hikotsu Taiho (Baboon Bone Cannon). He swung the handle of his Bankai which made the skeletal snake raise his head at Yylfordt. The Arrancar was unable to evade the crimson sphere of reiatsu that fired like a cannon from the snake's mouth and was engulfed by the blast. Once the smoke had cleared from the attack, Yylfordt was nothing more than a large scorch mark on the rooftop.

Ichigo vs. Di Roy

Ichigo started off the fight by firing a _Getsuga Tensho_ at Di Roy, but the Arrancar easily evaded it by disappearing in a _Sonido_ before he fired a _Cero_ at Ichigo. Ichigo countered by firing another energy wave that sliced the _Cero_ right down the middle and crashed into Di Roy.

The black reiatsu wave pushed Di Roy back at high speed and caused him to crash into a building with incredible force. Luckily, the building was an old abandoned apartment complex and no one was hurt when the Arrancar crashed into it. After some time, he walked out of the rubble and brushed off some stray debris from his clothes.

"Not bad, Shinigami. Before we continue, you should know the name of the one who will kill you. I am Di Roy Rinker, the 16th Arrancar."

Ichigo didn't immediately respond and just readied Tensa Zangetsu for another clash. Di Roy was slightly annoyed that his opponent was so determined to fight off the inevitable and charged at Ichigo with his weapon at the ready. He swung his blade across Ichigo's midsection and saw the orange-haired teen's eyes widen in shock. Di Roy smirked at the simplicity of the fight and began to laugh at the look of surprise on his opponent's face.

His laughing died and his smirk disappeared when Ichigo suddenly faded away, revealing his form as nothing but an afterimage. The Arrancar looked around frantically for him before he felt the teen's reiatsu directly behind him. The Arrancar turned to strike him but felt the top of his body moving while the bottom part remained stationary. He looked down to see that he had been cut in two from the middle of his waist and his body fell to the streets below. Ichigo shook his head in slight disappointment at the fight before he muttered, "Yea I'll remember you… as the one who was defeated by me."

Naruto vs. Grimmjow

Naruto was currently clashing blades with Grimmjow who had a crazed grin on his face. Naruto was using Hiraishin's ability of increasing his reaction time to the fullest and was evading each one of Grimmjow's blade strikes with fluid movements. Each dodge also incorporated a retaliatory strike that consisted of either a kick or a palm strike. After a relatively close call that forced Naruto to bend backwards to the point of having his head close to the ground, he continued the movement and morphed it into a back-flipping kick that struck the Espada in the jaw.

Grimmjow rubbed where the red-blonde kicked with his grin still in place. "Not bad, Namikaze. You were definitely worth the trip here."

"You're not too bad yourself, but I haven't even gotten close to being serious yet."

That comment made Grimmjow lose his grin in exchange for a glare. "So you're underestimating me?"

Naruto shrugged with a small smirk. "Well, you haven't really given me a reason to take this fight a little more seriously. I mean, I got more of a fight in the Seireitei for Kami-sama's sake."

Grimmjow growled at the jab made by Naruto. "So you want me to give you a reason, huh? Fine then, I'll give you a reason alright!" He then flew at Naruto and screamed, "A reason to die that is!"

Naruto shook his head and muttered, "So arrogant… Just like the teme (bastard) used to be…" He then blocked Grimmjow's blade and sent a reiatsu powered punch to the Espada's gut. Grimmjow coughed up blood from the blow, but Naruto didn't give him time to rest as he sent a heavy kick to the side of his face which sent him flying. Grimmjow crashed into a nearby wall and flew through an old bakery that had been closed down years ago. He regained his bearings before he rushed at Naruto and attempted to slice the red-blonde's head off. Naruto mentally had Hiraishin change into Uzuhime before he ducked under the swing before he sent a palm strike to his chest like he saw many Hyuuga do in his old life. With the Rinnegan activated thanks to Uzuhime being released, Naruto was able to see the exact spot to cause the most damage. The blow was charged with reiatsu and it disturbed the flow inside of Grimmjow's body before he crumpled under his own weight. The Espada attempted to stand but couldn't as he coughed up blood from the blow and was left panting on one knee.

"W-What did you *cough* do to me?" he asked between breaths of air.

"I disrupted the flow of reiatsu in your body. Right now, your reiatsu coils are trying to repair themselves along with the wounds you received during our fight. You're a decent fighter, Grimmjow, but you lack restraint and reasoning. You fight more like an animal than a warrior which is why I've beaten you now."

"You?! Beat me?! You're out of your fucking mind if you think I'm down for the count so easily!"

Naruto shook his head at his stubbornness. "You have an incredible drive, but that alone won't win every battle. You need to understand how to fight and what your limits are. And right now, you're at your limit Grimmjow."

"Fuck you Namikaze! I am far from my limit! I won't fall here and you wanna know why?! It's because I'm the king, and a king doesn't go down so easily!"

"True, a _king_ doesn't. However, an animal such as you goes down fairly easily. You won't go anywhere serving Aizen Grimmjow. The so-called 'strength' he offered you and your companions is nothing more than a well worded lie. You fight for yourself, which makes you weak."

"Oh yeah, asshole?! And what makes you so strong, huh?!"

"My friends," he said simply, his answer surprising the bluenette. "A good person once told me that 'true strength comes from fighting for something precious to you. Only then, can one be stronger than they ever were before.' You don't fight for anyone but yourself, Grimmjow, which leaves you weak. I on the other hand fight to protect my friends and the place they call home."

"So, you fight… not for yourself, but… for them?" Grimmjow whispered as he thought of everything his Fracción had done for him. They helped him when he was an Adjuchas (Intermediate Great Hollow), chose to serve him because of his strength, and followed him because they wished to. Now, they were most likely dead and Grimmjow was all alone in the world.

"I see you've come to realize that I'm right. You're Fracción are most likely dead by now and you now have no one to fight for but yourself Grimmjow. What is there left for you?"

Grimmjow didn't answer him immediately and struggled to stand. Once he was back on his feet, he looked to Naruto and stated, "I may not have the strength to face you now, but that doesn't mean I won't have it in the future, Namikaze."

Naruto narrowed his eyes at him and countered, "Strength isn't meant for striking down those who oppose you. It is meant for protecting those you care for and fighting for what you believe in."

"You right… And what I believe is that I am the king! And as king, I'll gather many followers and soldiers before I move on to greater horizons!" He then grinned at Naruto as Tosen appeared behind him and opened up a Garganta. "You won this round, Namikaze, but next time it won't be so easy!"

As the void closed on the traitor and the Espada, Naruto gave Grimmjow one final though to think over. "There is something behind the throne even greater than the King himself (1), Grimmjow."

When the void fully closed, Naruto reached out with his reiatsu and sensed that the others had been victorious in their fights. He then felt Halibel approaching and waited for her. When she arrived, she asked, "I take it you were successful in holding them off?"

Naruto nodded. "Yea but they'll be back, and with stronger members next time." He then started heading back to the base with her since he felt the others head back there as well. "You still want to get your friends out of Hueco Mundo, right?" She nodded and he continued, "Then you and I are going there to go get them."

His statement shocked her and she looked to him for an explanation.

"You may know the layout of the place, but I don't and that kind of information is crucial for this war. While the Seireitei fights on the forefront of the battlefield, I plan to go behind the scenes and strike Aizen's forces on their home turf. Aizen's forces won't know what hit them until it's too late."

She was impressed with his strategy and saw that it was well thought out. While a large force like the Gotei 13 distracts Aizen and most of his forces, Naruto and a small elite strike force would sneak behind enemy lines and take them by surprise.

Aizen was gonna have problems in this war.

(End)

Author Note 1: A quote by William Pitt the Elder Chatham

And that is chapter 21! Wow, that was a long ass chapter! But, it was definitely worth it!

Review! Review1 Review!

Also, I'm sorry for being late, but my friend Sendicard needs time to look over the chapters and help me make them excellent! He is sick right now and needed time to look over it and give me some advice on the chapter before I posted it.

If any of you get mad, then I'm sorry but you'll just have to deal with it. I had my friend look this over for you guys so please respect the time and effort put into this. Thank you.

Poll Notice Reminder: I have reposted the poll after noticing that many of you voted before I put up summaries for the story ideas I had. Sorry to those who already voted, but I want you guys to have an idea of the story before you just vote on it.

Next Time: Rukia returns and Naruto heads to Hueco Mundo for the first time with Halibel. Their goal: get Halibel's Fracción out of there! Will they succeed, or will something stop them along the way? Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	22. Chapter 22: The Moonlit Sands Pt 1

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has Rukia return to Karakura Town while Naruto and Halibel head to Hueco Mundo to rescue her Fracción. This is part 1 of their journey.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (How would I go about to make it mine anyway?)

Poll Update: So far (as of 10/12/12), the poll has Kitsune Yonnin in first with 57 votes, Mai's Teacher in second with 51 votes, Empress' Blade in third with 17 votes, and Aer Sage in fourth with 16 votes. So, it's obvious that Kitsune Yonnin or Mai's Teacher will win this thing. I personally voted for Mai's Teacher and also want it to win, but that depends on you guys! So, to those who have not voted yet, please do so!

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'**_Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'_**

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 22: The Moonlit Sands Pt. 1

"Try it again, Naruto-san. However this time, try to stabilize it more before firing."

"Alright, so I just focus on my darker reiatsu to do this, right?"

"Yes since a _Cero_ is a Hollow technique, Shinigami based reiatsu cannot make one and utilize it. The fact that you can make an orb of spiraling reiatsu out of Shinigami reiatsu is a feat within itself though."

Halibel and Naruto were currently in the training area under Ichiraku's and the Arrancar was trying to help Naruto fire off his _Rasengan_ like a Hollow's _Cero_. So far, the red-blonde was making steady progress and was able to launch the orb a good six feet before it faded. Naruto thought that he had done it then; however Halibel stated that a _Cero_ was a beam of reiatsu, not an orb-shaped projectile. So, they were currently in the middle of attempting to make the spiral sphere fire as a beam.

Naruto held out his right palm and focused Kurama's reiatsu on it. The amethyst reiatsu began to take the form of a spiraling sphere of reiatsu that rested on his palm.

"Alright, now try to stop the reiatsu from spinning and have it stabilize into a stationary orb," Halibel instructed. She was impressed with her "comrade's" progress, though calling him a comrade was still new to her. She knew that he saw her as one but she wasn't exactly sure if she saw him as an associate or a comrade.

Naruto was unaware of her thoughts at the moment as he focused on stopping the rotating reiatsu on his palm. _'Hey Kurama, think you can help me out here a little?'_

Said fox snorted at the request. **"Yea I can help, but the point of this is to have you do so on your own, Kit."**

'_I realize that but if you help me out this time, I'll have a much easier time understanding how to do so on my own for future attempts.'_

"**Why do you even want to create a **_**Cero**_** anyway? I thought the **_**Bijuu**_ **Dama** (Tailed Beast Ball) **was good enough as a projectile attack? Or even your **_**RasenShuriken**_**?"**

'_True, but I want to expand my technique repertoire and have a surprise attack for any Hollows or Arrancar we will face in the future. Besides, both of those techniques you mentioned require me to either using your reiatsu cloak or being in Bankai. This will allow me to have a decent projectile technique that I can use at any time.'_

The fox sighed at that before he began to chuckle. **"You're becoming more of a Kitsune each day, Kit. You're using deception and trickery against your future opponents before you even hit the battlefield. Alright, I'll help you this one time but that's it. After this, you're on your own."** The Kyuubi then began to stop the reiatsu in Naruto's hand from spinning and had it form a dense orb of amethyst colored reiatsu.

Halibel noticed the now stabilized orb and nodded for Naruto to fire it. Naruto nodded back and held his right palm outward with the orb in front of him. "Okay, here goes. _Cero_!" he cried as the orb released the reiatsu as a beam of energy that shot straightforward in front of him. The beam hit one of the many boulders that were scattered throughout the training area before it exploded into a massive burst of reiatsu. Naruto stared in shock at the amount of power behind the technique while Halibel analyzed it.

'_The amount of reiatsu packed inside of the __Cero__ Naruto used was the same as an average one fired by any other Hollow, yet it dealt much more damage. This tenant of Naruto's has incredibly dense reiatsu. It's like mine, but it feels purer and darker, like it is full of negative energy. How is it that Naruto can hold back such dark power from corrupting him?'_

"So, how did I do that time?" Naruto asked breaking Halibel from her thoughts.

Halibel nodded to him and replied, "You did much better this time, but you didn't stabilize it by yourself did you?"

Naruto gave her a sheepish look at getting caught so easily as he rubbed the back of his head. "Well, Kurama did help me stabilize it this time. But he did say that it was a one-time deal and that any future attempts would be without his help."

Halibel nodded at that and was about to have him try again before she was interrupted by Rangiku heading their way. "Hey Naruto, the Seireitei is about to send over Rukia and they want you to be there for her arrival."

Naruto sighed at that but nodded to the fukutaicho. "Alright, I'll be there in a second. Just let me finish up her, Rangiku."

The Shinigami nodded before she headed back inside the base. Naruto then turned his attention back to Halibel who said, "Try to fire another _Cero_; alone this time."

Naruto complied and focused the darker reiatsu into his palm again. The reiatsu began to naturally spiral once again and Naruto focused on the reiatsu and had it slowly start spiraling the opposite direction. As he did so, the reiatsu slowed to a halt before Naruto fired the _Cero_. It wasn't nearly as powerful as when Kurama helped him, but it still packed quite a punch. He turned to his current teacher expectantly and she gave him a positive nod.

"That's better, but it could still be stronger. You just need to practice more before you can have it battle ready."

Naruto gave her a determined grin at her appraisal. "Alright, I'll have it ready in no time." he then began to head for the area where Rukia was about to arrive followed by the Arrancar. Halibel couldn't help but give an amused look towards Naruto. He had just stated that he'd have a powerful technique that he was starting to get the hang of ready in no time. It was somewhat comical to her yet she couldn't help but feel as if he'd succeed in doing so.

When they reached the designated area, they noticed that the other Shinigami were there as well and that they tensed slightly at Halibel's arrival. Naruto shook his head at their stubbornness about her being a Hollow while she merely ignored them. They all waited for a few minutes before a senkaimon began to appear in front of them. When the doors of the gate opened, Rukia stepped out in full Shinigami uniform. She greeted the other Shinigami with a small bow and smiled to Naruto. Naruto smiled back before he noticed Rukia's gaze move to Halibel. She gave him a skeptical look at the sight of the Arrancar and he gave her an expectant one. He figured that Yamamoto had told her of Halibel joining them and hoped that his friend wouldn't be hostile towards the Arrancar in any way.

Naruto decided to speak first. "It's good to see you again Rukia. How have you been?"

Rukia gave him a small smile. "I've been well. How about you Naruto? I heard that you've done some interesting things since your return to Karakura Town."

Naruto narrowed his eyes slightly but nodded. "I guess you could say that. What exactly have you heard about my actions since my return?"

"Just that you've accepted an Arrancar into our ranks and that the Sotaicho is unsure of what to think of you now. He thinks that you may betray us in the future."

Naruto scoffed at that. "Like I'd betray my friends… I won't betray the Seireitei unless they give me a good reason to do so. So far they're annoying with their lack of trust in my decisions, but that's no reason for me to betray them."

Rukia nodded in understanding and smiled to her friend. "Well, I'm glad to hear that Naruto. I knew you had good reasons for your actions and I trust you. You risked your life to save me along with Ichigo-kun."

"Speaking of him, he was able to handle his Hollow problem when we got back. He's currently training to use it longer in fights but he should be done soon. I can take you to him if you want?"

Rukia nodded and replied, "I'd like that. Just let me get debriefed about the current situation and we'll go."

Naruto nodded before he headed back to where he was training with Halibel. He was getting closer to completing a battle ready _Cero_ and he wanted to get it to that level before he left with Halibel. The two were planning on heading for Hueco Mundo that night since she was worried for her friends. Naruto knew he had to be fully prepared for the journey and that having an ace up his sleeve would benefit him greatly.

He attempted three more _Ceros_ before Rukia stated that she was ready. She was surprised at what her friend was attempting to pull off and even more surprised at the amount of power behind the technique. Naruto and Halibel then led Rukia to the Vizards' place and Naruto let her know what Ichigo went through to take control of his Inner Hollow. Rukia was shocked that Ichigo nearly lost himself to his Hollow, but was relieved that he had succeeded in defeating it.

Once the three were inside, they noticed Ichigo sparring with Hiyori and Kensei at the same time. He had on his Vizard Mask while the other two didn't and was currently defending their cooperative attacks. Naruto noticed that the mask had a few chips in it and mentally counted down from 10 before the mask fully disappeared. Once it was gone, Ichigo was left panting on one knee in exhaustion and sore from fatigue. The orange-haired teen then turned to the direction of Naruto and the girls and smiled at seeing Rukia. She smiled back before she approached him and helped him up before she gave him a small hug in greeting. He hugged her back and stated that he missed the midget which earned him a playful punch to the arm for the jab about her height.

Naruto chuckled at their interaction while Halibel merely watched on. She actually was reminded of how her friends interacted with one another and she resolved to get them out of Hueco Mundo no matter what. Naruto noticed Halibel watch Ichigo and Rukia with a far off look before it turned to a determined one.

"Don't worry, we'll get your friends out of there Halibel," he reassured her with a warm smile. She was slightly surprised that he knew what she was thinking but then nodded in agreement. All she had to do was be patient.

Hueco Mundo

"Still no word from Halibel?" Aizen asked his subordinate Tosen.

"None whatsoever, Aizen-sama. Either she has been eliminated by the Shinigami or she has betrayed us."

Aizen gained a thoughtful look at Tosen's statement. "She's too skilled to be taken down by those Shinigami. Naruto or Ichigo however are different stories. Both of them are quite powerful and have a darker reiatsu to call upon in a pinch. However, Halibel did state that our red-blonde enemy was honorable enough to let her leave and help Yammy, so I don't believe that she was taken down by him. My guess on this matter is that she has betrayed us."

"Well, ain't that a shame," commented Gin with his ever noticeable grin. "So, what will we do about her Fracción? They're incredibly loyal to her and may leave us should they find out she betrayed us. That won't be good for your plans, Aizen-Taicho."

Aizen narrowed his eyes in thought about the current situation. He knew that Halibel was a valuable asset to his forces and to lose her to the Shinigami was quite a blow. He also knew of her Fracción and their fierce loyalty to her. They would have to be dealt with accordingly.

"Tosen, place Halibel's Fracción in the dungeons, then we shall tell them of their mistress' betrayal. Once they know, we'll give them the chance to think about staying with us or not. And Gin, I want you to have some lower Arrancar search the desert for a lost friend of ours. She's been missing for long enough and it's time for her to come back home."

Tosen bowed and left while Gin asked, "You know that Nnoitra was the one responsible for Neliel's current status as well as her Fracción leaving? Are you sure you want to bring her back and restore memories that could make her betray us, Aizen-Taicho?"

"I know, however I will deal with that when the time comes. For now, just find her and bring her back. We need to restore our forces and Neliel is the only one capable of replacing Halibel at the moment."

Gin nodded and replied, "As you wish, Aizen-Taicho."

After Aizen was left alone in his throne room, he scowled slightly at the recent turn of events. "We need to make sure that no one else betrays us for the Shinigami. And somehow, I know that you are behind this, Naruto Namikaze."

Urahara's Shop (that night)

Naruto was currently in the middle of a small poker game with Yoruichi and Kisuke while Halibel was sitting beside the red-blonde and observing the game. Naruto then switched his gaze from his cards to the clock on the wall and saw that it was near 8pm. He folded his hand and stood up along with Halibel before the two of them began heading for the underground training area. Kisuke and Yoruichi followed them to see the duo off.

Once they reached the training area, Halibel prepared the Garganta while Naruto turned to his friend and neechan. "Well, this is it I guess. I'll try to be back as soon as I can but it could still take a while."

Yoruichi gave him a hug while saying, "Stay safe, otouto. You're heading to enemy territory and you never know what could happen."

Naruto nodded to her before he received a small capsule from Urahara. At his questioning look, Kisuke explained, "That has supplies inside to help you recover should you ever need to. There isn't exactly a whole lot in there though, so use it sparingly."

"I will and thanks Kisuke."

"Naruto-san, it's ready," Halibel stated.

He nodded to her before she entered the void. Before Naruto stepped in, he turned to his friends and gave them a two-fingered salute. "I'll be back."

After he said his goodbyes, he stepped into the void and entered a strange place that was surrounded by nothing but darkness and swirling reishi (spirit particles). He then noticed that he had a crystallized platform underneath him as did Halibel. However, her platform seemed to be smoother and more controlled while his was rough and slightly erratic.

Halibel then noticed that his had a few cracks in it and that they were threatening to grow in size. "Naruto-san, you must control your reiatsu and smooth it out or else your platform will shatter."

Naruto looked down to see his platform about to break and focused his reiatsu on it. The edges began to smooth and the cracks started to repair themselves as he focused on them. After a few seconds, his platform was closely the same as Halibel's but he still had the edges a little rougher than hers. He looked to her and she nodded before she began using her platform to move herself through the void followed by Naruto. It took them some time to reach their destination, but they made it without any problems to deal with.

Once they reached where Halibel deemed it far enough, she opened another Garganta and the two stepped out into a vast desert of white sand lit up by a pale moon. There were also many dead looking trees that scattered the endless sands.

"Welcome to Hueco Mundo, home of the Hollows."

Naruto stared at the desert in slight awe at its size. "It's impressive and I bet those sands stretch on for eternity."

"Not quite 'eternity', but pretty close. Come, we need to head to Las Noches (Hollow Night Palace), the capital of Hueco Mundo." She then began walking through the desert while Naruto followed her.

'_What do you guys think?'_ Naruto mentally questioned his family.

"It's very impressive yet it seems to give off an aura of despair," Minato commented.

"I agree, you could literally feel the negativity here," Kushina added.

"That's not so surprising considering that this is the Realm of the Hollows," Jiraiya stated to his old student and his apprentice's mother.

"I don't like the feel of this place. Just be careful here, gaki. Like Yoruichi said, you're in enemy territory now," Tsunade warned the red-blonde.

"Ah, you need to lighten up Tsunade! Naruto will be just fine and besides, this is his chance to knock a few Arrancar heads around! Personally, I'm getting kinda excited," Anko said with a grin.

Naruto chuckled at his sister's antics but still reassured his godmother. _'Don't worry baa-chan, I'll stay on guard. I can't afford not to in this place.'_

Any other conversing between Naruto and his family was cut short by Halibel holding out her arm telling him to stop. "There are a few reiatsu sources heading our way. One of them is quite high, yet it feels as if it is leaking reiatsu. The two following it are weaker but not by much. There is a fourth, but it isn't really worth mentioning."

Naruto looked to the direction Halibel was staring at and narrowed his eyes to get a better look. He was able to make out a small green figure followed by two whitish ones. Behind them all was a larger purple figure.

"It looks like one of them is being chased by the others. Should we do something?" Naruto asked but kept his gaze on the figures in the desert.

"Watching Hollows eating one another is a sight not uncommon here, but I have noticed that one of the figures appears to be the size of a child."

Naruto then decided to release Uzuhime in order to activate his Rinnegan. With his enhanced vision, he was able to clearly see the figures.

One of them was a child-sized figure wrapped in a large green cloth. The figure appeared to be running away from the others.

The next figure was a humanoid Arrancar whose head was almost completely covered by its mask, which resembled an insect-like head with large mandibles and horns. Its left eye was visible and yellow in color while the left appeared to be covered by a purple cloth patch.

The third figure was a large, heavyset, but dumpy body with short appendages that had small, white hands and feet. It wore a hooded yellow bodysuit which was covered with black polka dots of varying sizes. Its head was almost as big as its body and was completely covered by a Hollow Mask that resembled a stereotypical tiki mask with exaggerated and colorful features that included large eyes, large teeth, and a prominent nose.

The last figure was a giant, eel-like Hollow whose mask consisted of a simple plate on its head with a pair of horns.

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the sight. "Halibel, one of the figures is as you said, a child. The child appears to be running away from the others. We have to help it."

Halibel took a better look at the figures and recognized the second and third ones. She was about to say something but Naruto had already disappeared in a yellow flash. She cursed silently before following him in a _Sonido_. Naruto appeared behind the child, shocking the three in front of him and readied Uzuhime to strike them down.

He was stopped though when the child gripped his leg and cried, "No, don't hurt them! Don't hurt Nel's brothers!" Naruto paused and got a better look at the child who had remover their hood to reveal the face of a young Arrancar girl.

She had short green hair and hazel eyes that were incredibly wide. The remains of her Hollow mask were made up of a cartoon-like skull which sat on the top of her head. A crack ran along the left side of the mask which Naruto noticed that it seemed to be leaking reiatsu. Four teeth on the left side of the skull were broken off. She also had a large scar coming down from her forehead to her nose and a crimson line that stretched horizontally across her face below her eyes.

"We're so sorry!" she said with a bow. The others bowed as well while the girl continued. "We never thought our game of Eternal Pursuit would cause such a misunderstanding."

Naruto stared at them all confused while Halibel appeared behind him. She gasped silently at the sight of the girl and whispered out, "Neliel-sama…"

The two Arrancar near the girl tensed slightly at that while the girl looked on confused. "My name isn't Neliel; it's Nel. Who are you two?"

"We could ask you guys the same thing," Naruto stated.

"Well, Nel already told you her name. These two are Nel's brothers, Pesche and Dondachaka, and the one behind us is our pet, Bawabawa."

"I'm Naruto and this is Halibel."

"It's good to see that you're still alive, Neliel-sama," Halibel stated.

"Who's this 'Neliel' you keep mentioning? Nel told you that Nel's name is Nel!" the green haired child yelled in frustration.

"That may be now, but in a past life you were Neliel Tu Oderschvank, the previous Terceira Espada."

Nel's eyes widened at that. "N-Nel was an Es-Espada?" she asked in shock.

Halibel then turned to the other two Arrancar. "Pesche, Dondachaka, what happened to her memories?"

Pesche sighed at the question before he answered, "They were lost to her when she was ambushed by Nnoitra and Szayelaporro. Nnoitra attacked her while she was in a slightly weakened state due to Szayelaporro and a machine he made. The attack cracked her mask which made her change into the form you see now as well as make her lose her memories."

Naruto stared at the confused girl in slight pity. She seemed happy with her memories gone, but now she looked on in pure confusion and slight fear. It was not a look he liked to see on a child. She was standing next to him as he gently rubbed her on her masked head. Somehow, she was able to feel it and looked up to Naruto who gave her a reassuring smile. Naruto then turned to Pesche and asked, "Is there any way to restore her memories and power?"

"I'm not sure honestly. The crack in the mask seems to constantly leak reiatsu from her and leave her at the amount of power she has now. I'd assume that if the crack was repaired, then so will her memories and power."

Naruto nodded before he knelt down to Nel's level and stared at her mask with his Rinnegan. _'Baa-chan, what do you think we're dealing with here?'_ he mentally asked the Legendary Medic.

Tsunade looked through Naruto's eyes at the crack and studied it. "Hmm, it's possible that it could be fixed. However, the amount of reiatsu needed would be incredibly high and would have to be a perfect mix of Shinigami and Hollow reiatsu."

'_What about a mix of Shinigami and Demonic reiatsu?'_

"That might work, but I'm not completely certain… Like with my previous theory, it's not exactly 100% accurate. There are a number of different variables that could cause problems."

'_Well, we won't know unless we try. And I think that Kurama and I could handle it, right Fox?'_

Said demon snorted at the question. **"Like transferring my energy from you to another is that much of a challenge… Of course we could do it, but like Tsunade said, we don't know what could happen."**

'_Well, let's try it anyway,'_ Naruto stated as he cut the mental connection. He then looked to Nel and asked, "Nel, I want you to let me know if you want me to try and fix your mask. I could try to, but I don't know if it will completely work. I'll let you choose."

The Arrancar stared at him and the others while she thought. Pesche and Dondachaka gave her reassuring smiles while Halibel looked to her and said, "It's your choice, Neliel-sama."

She then looked to Naruto and stated, "Nel wants you to try and fix it…but not now. Nel is not ready yet."

Naruto smiled to her and replied, "That's fine with me, Nel-chan. So long as it's what you want."

She smiled back to him and said, "Thanks Naruto-nii!" She then hugged him which left the red-blonde shocked at her actions before he returned the hug.

Once he let go, he said, "Alright, now Halibel and I have something to do at Las Noches, so we have to go now. But we'll come back to get you when we're done."

Nel looked to him sadly. "You're leaving already?"

"Yea, we have to save Halibel's friends and get them out of there."

Nel's eyes then shined with determination. "Let us come to! We know where Las Noches is and plus, we can get there faster on Bawabawa!"

Said Hollow made an agreeing noise before he lowered his head for them to get on. Naruto turned to Halibel and asked, "What do you think? Should we let them come with?"

Halibel looked to the other four and thought it over. Neliel has been in the desert for a long time, so she may know what to expect in the area. Not to mention Pesche and Dondachaka have been with her the whole time as well. And hitching a ride wasn't exactly a bad idea.

"Alright, they can come, but they have to be careful within the walls of Las Noches; we _all_ will have to."

Naruto nodded before he jumped onto Bawabawa's head and sat down in a lotus position. Nel climbed up there as well before she sat down in his lap, causing the red-blonde to give her a small smile.

'_We have to hurry, or else Halibel's Fracción could be killed by Aizen…or worse,'_ Naruto thought before Bawabawa took off through the desert.

(End Pt. 1)

And that is chapter 22! Part two (aka chapter 23) will be up next week!

I hope you guys like how I added in Nel-chan!

Review! Review! Review!

Poll Update Reminder: Kitsune Yonnin is in first, Mai's Teacher is in second, Empress' Blade is in third, and Aer Sage is in last place. Remember to vote if you haven't already! Your votes will determine the next FanFic!

Next Time: Part 2, which involves the group entering Las Noches! Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	23. Chapter 23: The Moonlit Sands Pt 2

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has Rukia return to Karakura Town while Naruto and Halibel head to Hueco Mundo to rescue her Fracción. This is Part 2.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (How would I go about to make it mine anyway?)

AN1: I am SO sorry that there wasn't a chapter last week! My COM crashed last Sunday and I lost some of my files. I just got it back Friday night… Sorry to those who were expecting a chapter update last week…

AN2: I know I said that Neliel was out of the harem due to being not as serious as Sui-Feng and Halibel… Well, some people argued in her defense and stated that she was just as, if not more, serious, in her adult form… So, she's back in! To the Neliel fans who argued for her, thanks for informing me about her.

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'_**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**_

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 23: The Moonlit Sands Pt. 2

(Last Time)

Nel looked to him sadly. "You're leaving already?"

"Yea, we have to save Halibel's friends and get them out of there."

Nel's eyes then shined with determination. "Let us come to! We know where Las Noches is and plus, we can get there faster on Bawabawa!"

Said Hollow made an agreeing noise before he lowered his head for them to get on. Naruto turned to Halibel and asked, "What do you think? Should we let them come with?"

Halibel looked to the other four and thought it over. Neliel has been in the desert for a long time, so she may know what to expect in the area. Not to mention Pesche and Dondachaka have been with her the whole time as well. And hitching a ride wasn't exactly a bad idea.

"Alright, they can come, but they have to be careful within the walls of Las Noches; we _all_ will have to."

Naruto nodded before he jumped onto Bawabawa's head and sat down in a lotus position. Nel climbed up there as well before she sat down in his lap, causing the red-blonde to give her a small smile.

'_We have to hurry, or else Halibel's Fracción could be killed by Aizen…or worse,'_ Naruto thought before Bawabawa took off through the desert.

(Now)

The ride towards Las Noches was going smoothly for the group of 5 as they rode on top of Bawabawa. Naruto was sitting on top of the eel-like Hollow's head with Halibel next to him and Nel in his lap while Pesche and Dondachaka sat behind them. Nel was clutching Naruto while looking at Halibel with slightly narrowed eyes.

Halibel noticed this and wondered what was on the child-like Hollow's mind. "Is there something wrong, Neliel-sama?"

Nel kept her eyes narrowed to the blonde Arrancar and asked, "What exactly is your relationship to Naruto-nii?"

Naruto smiled at how quickly she had grown attached to him and at the innocence of her question, but he was also curious about Halibel's answer.

Halibel felt slightly uncomfortable at the question since she didn't know the answer to it herself. She knew she saw him as an associate and a partner. _'But is that all I see him as; nothing more than a partner?_ She then turned her gaze to the man in question and noticed him looking at her with a curious expression, but she also saw that he was giving her a small smile. _'He sees me as a comrade, a teacher, and a friend while placing so much faith in me… Maybe I can see him the same way.'_ She then looked to the child-like Arrancar and stated, "Naruto is…my comrade…and my friend."

Naruto's smile grew at that while Nel kept her eyes narrowed on Halibel. After a few seconds, she smiled as well and said, "Okay, Nel was just wondering," before getting comfortable in Naruto's lap again.

Naruto turned to Halibel and asked, "Do you really see me as a friend?"

Halibel was quiet for a bit before she responded, "Yes I do, Naruto. You've done nothing but help me ever since our second meeting and you defended my honor against the Shinigami… Only a true friend would do that and that's what I see you as."

Naruto nodded with a smile before returning his gaze to the direction Bawabawa was heading. "I'm glad you see me as a friend, Halibel-chan." He didn't notice the ex-Espada's cheeks gain a small blush at his title for her. He would have said more, but he noticed a palace-like structure in the distance. "So I guess that's Las Noches up ahead?"

"Yes… Aizen and the Arrancar who serve him reside there. If Aizen is truly suspicious of me, I would assume that he would place my Fracción in the dungeons."

"You know where to go, right?" Naruto asked.

"Yes, I know where they are. Why do you ask?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed at the palace and responded, "Something's off with that place… And I plan to check it out. While we go through the palace and to the dungeons, I'll have a clone perform recon on the place. We need to know the place inside and out if we want an advantage in this war."

"Are you sure that's wise? What if your clone is caught or spotted?"

Naruto answered by creating a _Kage Bunshin_ and had it _Henge_ into a small white fox with a bone-like helmet on its head. "I think I'll be okay," the 'fox' stated before it was glomped by an excited Nel.

Naruto shook his head in amusement at his clone's predicament. "As you can see, I can have myself or my clones transform into various forms to avoid being seen or to not raise suspicion. We'll let him explore the place while we save your friends."

Halibel kept her gaze on the clone being squeezed by Nel before she stated, "So long as your clone is proficient in stealth, I see no problems with this plan."

Naruto smirked at that and retorted, "Trust me; stealth is second nature to me. It was required in my old profession after all."

Halibel nodded at that and just prepared for their infiltration of the Hollow Night Palace.

Unknown to them, a Hollow with a single red eye was watching as they passed by and its vision was being relayed to its master.

Las Noches Throne Room

Aizen chuckled to himself as he looked into an eye-shaped orb that showed the sight of Naruto and the others heading for Las Noches.

"Tosen, go fetch Halibel's Fracción. It seems as if I have some use for them after all."

Tosen bowed at the order before he left for the dungeons. Gin peered into the orb and saw that Nel and her old Fracción were with Naruto and Halibel. "Well, this complicates things doesn't it, Aizen-Taicho?"

"Not by much, but they can easily be uncomplicated with simple persuasion."

"Oh, and what sort of 'persuasion' are you thinking of?"

Aizen's smile grew at the question. "You'll just have to wait and see for yourself, Gin."

Dungeons

Within their prison cell, the Fracción of Tia Halibel sat in confusion and slight fear. Mila Rose was standing next to the locked entrance of cell and kept her gaze on the corridor leading upstairs, Sung-Sun sat in one of the corners of the cell in silence, and Apacci was cursing Aizen under her breath at their current living arrangements.

"She's coming back… I know she is," Mila whispered to herself, yet the other two heard her.

"We all know Mila, but why is it taking her so long?" Sung-Sun asked from her corner.

"…I don't know, and that's what worries me."

"I still think that Aizen is keeping us from her," Apacci stated. "Why else would he lock us up in here? He doesn't trust Halibel-sama and I'm guessing that he wants her to pledge her full loyalty to him in exchange for our freedom. I mean, the only reason she agreed to join him was so that she could have the power to protect us." Her eyes then became regretful. "I can't believe how weak we were back then…"

Sung-Sun went to comfort Apacci while Mila clenched the bars in front of her in anger as a tear went down her face. The three of them never forgave themselves for being too weak to defend each other against the Hollow that attacked them all years ago. They worked hard each and every day to get stronger so that their mistress wouldn't have to worry about them any longer, but it would all be for nothing if they just sat in their cell.

They were brought out of their thoughts by the sound of someone coming down the stairs to the cells. By the sound of the footsteps, it was multiple people.

'_Must be some more prisoners,'_ the three of them thought before Mila gasped in shock.

"Halibel-sama…" she whispered causing the other two to rush to the bars.

Their eyes were not lying to them for in front of them was their mistress along with two man-sized Arrancar, a child-like Arrancar, and a red-blonde man that had the child sitting on his shoulders.

"Are these your friends?" the man asked and Halibel nodded. "Okay, I need the three of you to step away from the bars." The girls looked confused before they saw reiatsu swirling in his palm. They immediately stepped back while he thrust the orb into the bars with a cry of, "_Rasengan_!"

The orb destroyed the bars ant the three immediately felt some of their power return to them. The cell, when fully closed, cut off their reiatsu and left them in a severely weakened state. They then rushed to Halibel and hugged her in joy while Naruto and the others watched on with small smiles. Naruto then felt a small hand grab his own and he looked down to see Nel smiling to him.

"They're really happy, huh Naruto-nii?"

He chuckled and replied, "Yea they are. I'd be just as happy, if not happier, if I reunited with my loved ones."

Nel tilted her head cutely in confusion and asked, "Where are they?"

Naruto didn't answer her and just closed his eyes while looking away. While Nel had the mindset of a young girl at the moment, she still knew that the subject she was questioning Naruto about was a sore one and decided to drop it.

Naruto suddenly tensed and swore before he turned to the others. "We need to move, now! My clone was just dispelled by Tosen!"

The others nodded and rushed out of the dungeons in a desperate run for freedom. While they ran, Naruto asked Halibel, "Why can't you open a Garganta to get us back to the World of the Living?"

"Las Noches was made to prevent that from happening should any Arrancar choose to betray Aizen. The closest a Garganta can be formed from the Living World is the distance we were when we arrived; about 75 miles. However, if we were making a trip _to_ the Living World, we just need to be outside the palace."

"Damn… Then we better hurry!" he said before speeding up much to the enjoyment of his passenger, Nel.

Halibel kept following while Mila asked, "Halibel-sama, who is that man?"

Halibel looked to see that her other Fracción were just as curious while Pesche and Dondachaka focused on keeping up. "He's someone who wields both Shinigami and Demonic reiatsu… and is my comrade and friend."

Her statement surprised the three and Apacci pressed for answers. "Why is he helping us if he's a Shinigami? And what do you mean by 'Demonic' reiatsu? Is it stronger than Hollow reiatsu?"

"He's helping us because he wanted to help me get you out of here, and yes, his Demonic reiatsu is more potent than Hollow which makes it slightly stronger."

Suddenly, the four noticed Naruto and Nel slow to a stop as they entered a large room. More specifically, it was Aizen's Throne Room. The man looked down to them, along with the other Espada, their Arrancar, and the other ex-Shinigami and smiled to them.

"Well, isn't this a pleasant surprise? The man who has captured my interest here with a traitor, her Fracción, and three exiles here in front of me… How fortunate for me…"

Naruto had Nel get behind him while he readied his Zanpakuto. "Damn… I thought I was going the right way," he cursed under his breath. He then gave a sideways glance to the others and saw Halibel tensed for a fight along with her Fracción while Pesche and Dondachaka trembled slightly in fear. He refocused his gaze on Aizen and asked, "How did you know we were coming?"

Aizen chuckled at the question, much to Naruto's ire. "You're quite foolish if you believed that nothing escaped my notice in Hueco Mundo. Did you forget that I wish to become a god? Well, shouldn't a god be all-seeing?"

Naruto's eyes narrowed while his pupils became slitted like a fox. "I see you still have a psychotic ambition, Aizen. I guess you forgot about what I said about me stopping you…"

Aizen merely ignored Naruto's comment and waved his hand for the Espada's Fracción to apprehend them. The Arrancar complied and soon had the eight of them surrounded. Naruto bared his elongated fangs and tapped into Kyuubi's reiatsu before entering his Kyuubi Form. The Fracción tensed at his transformation while Naruto's companions felt the reiatsu encircle them like a protective force. Naruto then faded away from view before he appeared outside the Arrancar surrounding them with his back turned to them. He then released his Kyuubi Form and the Arrancar simultaneously flew back from an incredible force. The force of the attack, along with the force of their impact against the walls of the room, knocked them unconscious while most of the Espada had their eyes widened in surprise. The only ones who weren't surprised were the ex-Taicho, Grimmjow who had a crazed grin, and the Quatro (Fourth) Espada Ulquiorra Cifer who had an apathetic look on his face.

Aizen then began clapping at the performance and stated, "A most impressive display of your power, Naruto-san. You truly are an incredible subject."

"Cut the shit, Aizen. You want something from me, don't you? That's why you allowed me and the others to infiltrate this place so easily. It was all a ploy to get us here and for you to obtain something from me. The question remains: what exactly do you want?"

Aizen chuckled again and replied, "How very observant of you… Indeed, your assumptions are correct. As for what I want… I want to make a deal."

Naruto narrowed his eyes and asked, "What kind of deal do you think I'd ever make with a psychopath like you?"

Before Aizen could respond, the Séptima (7th) Espada Zommari rushed towards Naruto and roared, "You will show Aizen-sama the proper respect, filth!"

Naruto didn't even spare him a glance as he faded from the Espada's view. Zommari halted his advance and looked frantically for any sight of the red-blonde before he felt something pierce his heart from behind. He slowly turned his head to see Naruto holding his still sealed Zanpakuto in a reverse grip. His back was turned to Zommari as he pulled the blade out of the Espada's back, flick the blood off, and slowly return it to its sheathe.

"You're such a fool…" he stated before the blade was fully sheathed. Once it clicked, Zommari fell to the floor dead and Naruto returned his gaze to Aizen. "You need to keep your pawns in place Aizen, or else you'll keep losing them."

Aizen did not seem to care about Zommari's demise and merely continued as if he wasn't interrupted. "As I was saying, I want to make you a deal. I'll let Halibel and the others go free in exchange for you taking the place of her Fracción as my prisoner, or I could just have the rest of my Espada finish you all off in one go." He then smiled as Naruto and the others tensed at his offer. "I'll let you decide your fate."

Suddenly to Aizen's surprise, Naruto gave a small chuckle. "Fate? Fate is nothing more than a desperate illusion for those who've given up. I don't believe in fate, Aizen. I believe we make our own future; our own destiny in life." He then disappeared in a _Shunpo_ before reappearing next to the others with his Zanpakuto in the form of Uzukage. "And as…appealing…as your offer sounds, I think we'll pass."

The eight of them began to shimmer in a golden light before they began fading away from the feet upward, much to the surprise of Aizen and the others.

Naruto smirked before asking, "You didn't honestly believe that I wouldn't have a backup plan, did you? If you did, you're a fool…" He then flew through handseals before he sliced his hand and flung his blood on the others and slammed his bloody hand on the ground with a cry of, "_Gyaku Kuchiyose no Jutsu_ (Reverse Summoning Technique)!"

The eight of them disappeared in a large yellow flash before the eyes of Aizen and the others and left Hueco Mundo. Aizen was trying to process what happened while the others gazed to where the 'trapped' enemies were mere moments ago in amazement.

Once Aizen finally realized that they were gone, his face fell into a rare frown and he clenched his fist in anger. _'So it seems you were right in me being the fool…_this_ time. However, next time you won't escape so easily, Namikaze.'_

Training Area under Ichiraku Ramen

In the middle of the field, a large flash of yellow lit up the area before the forms of Halibel, her Fracción, Nel and her 'brothers', and Naruto appeared. Naruto fell to a knee in exhaustion and Halibel rushed to his side in worry.

She helped him turn to rest on his back as he gasped for air. "D-damn it…" he cursed. "I did-didn't think that cr-crossing dimensions would take that much p-power…" He then fell unconscious while Nel came over and tearfully begged him to wake up. Halibel turned and saw that the others were fine before she looked to Naruto's resting form in gratitude.

'_Thank you, Naruto…'_

(End)

And that is chapter 23! What did you guys think of the rescue mission?

Review! Review! Review!

AN: Again, I apologize for the late chapter, but I want to let you know that I had no idea my COM would crash! I hope this doesn't happen again…

Next Time: While Naruto recovers, how will Halibel's Fracción adapt to the Living World? And what happens when Nel states that she's ready to restore her power? Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	24. Chapter 24: Adaptation & Restoration

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has Halibel's Fracción attempting to adapt in the Living World and Nel wants her power restored.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (How would I go about to make it mine anyway?)

Poll Notice: I know I said the poll ends Dec. 1st, but I decided to end it a month earlier. So without further ado, the winner (by a very close margin of four votes) is "Mai's Teacher"! The final results were:

Mai's Teacher: 127

Kitsune Yonnin: 123

Aer Sage: 38

Empress' Blade: 37

So, the first chapter of "Mai's Teacher" will be up by Jan. 5th or 6th next year!

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'_**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**_

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 24: Adapting and Restoration

The first thing Naruto saw as he woke up was the grey ceiling of his room above the Ichiraku Stand. He slowly rose to a sitting position and was amazed at how exhausting using his _Gyaku Kuchiyose_ was to perform. He looked around the room and saw that the only other person in the room was Nel who was sleeping on the two-person couch.

The flat was a simple single bedroom with a bed, couch, desk, and small dresser. The desk held the accounts for the stand and the sales records scattered all over it. Naruto chuckled to himself at how unkempt it looked. The couch was made of comfortable leather that allowed one to sleep peacefully; something Nel appeared to have taken full advantage of.

Naruto got to his feet before getting dressed in a sleeveless white shirt, black cargo pants, his tan trench coat, and some black boots. He then went to Nel and picked her up and quietly made his way downstairs to the eating area of the stand. Luckily for him, he woke up an hour before the shop opened, but he did not feel like having business today. So, he gave Jill a call and said that she had the day off, much to her enjoyment. He then took Nel to the underground base and headed for the meeting room where he heard some raised voices.

Once he entered, he saw Halibel and her Fracción being interrogated by Toshiro and Sui-Feng concerning the rescue mission he went on with the ex-Espada. By the looks of it, the Arrancar were slowly getting irritated with the constant stream of questions and the Shinigami were getting irritated at the sight of _more_ Arrancar in their base.

"Look, we told you already that Halibel-sama came with Naruto-san and the other three Arrancar and that they busted us out. What more do you want to know?" asked an irate Apacci.

"How about why he and Halibel picked up three strays and rescued three jailed Arrancar?" retorted Sui-Feng.

"Those 'strays' you're talking about were exiled from Las Noches," Naruto stated bringing everyone's attention to him.

"Naruto-san, have your injuries recovered?" asked Mila Rose in slight concern.

"Yes, I'm fine and thank you for asking. Now Sui-Feng, if you have any more questions concerning my recent actions, then ask me about them. Leave Halibel and her friends out of this."

Sui-Feng narrowed her eyes at him before motioning him to follow her to the training grounds. Naruto handed the still sleeping Nel to Halibel and followed after the petite Taicho. Once they reached the area, Naruto waited patiently for Sui-Feng to start questioning him. He knew that she put the rules of the Seireitei above all, but he wished that she could see things from his perspective. With her back to him, he was unable to tell what she was thinking of at the moment, but he knew that she would speak her mind soon.

After about five minutes of waiting, she finally asked, "Why did you do it?"

"I was helping a comrade save her friends from Aizen. The other three were innocents and exiles of the Hollow Night Palace."

"Not that… Why do you seem to care so much about her? She's a Hollow; an enemy… Yet you go out of your way to help her when she has done nothing to prove she's trustworthy." She then turned to face him and he saw confusion and hurt in her eyes. "Why do I feel like I'm losing trust in you or that you will betray us; betray me?"

Naruto silently observed the woman in front of him and his heart went out to her. She wanted to trust him, to believe in him, but his actions went against what she strived for; what she was taught. He sighed before slowly embracing her in a small hug, something she responded positively to. They just stood there for a while before Naruto answered, "I helped her because I see myself in her. She holds great power, but is feared and hated because of it; just like I was. She has sacrificed so much for the ones she cares for, just as I have, and she puts her friends before herself every time. I see myself in her and want to help her from straying towards a path of pain and suffering; the path I went down." He then held Sui-Feng at arm's-length and stated, "But that doesn't mean I will betray you, Sui-Feng. I care too much about you to even think of betraying you. However, the same thing goes for anyone I see as my comrade and right now, Halibel also fits in that category. You say she hasn't shown anything to prove that she's trustworthy, but you haven't looked deep enough to see that she has." He then cupped her face in his right hand and smiled to her. "I need your support in this, Sui-chan. I need you to trust that my actions are for the benefit of everyone. Can I count on you to do that for me?"

Sui-Feng stared deep into his azure eyes and saw that he was being entirely truthful and that he wanted, no needed, her support. He trusted her and cared for her and it warmed her heart that someone cared so deeply for her. She leaned in and kissed him softly before she replied, "I trust you Naruto-kun, and I will try to support you."

He smiled at her response before he replied, "That's all I ask for, Sui-chan." He then let her go before he began to head back inside. He suddenly got tackled by a green bullet and tumbled back a few feet before he stopped with Nel on his chest in a death grip.

"Naruto, Nel was so worried about you! Are you okay? Are you hurt? Why did you risk your life like that? You almost died!" she cried out in one breath before she began gasping for much needed air.

Naruto gave a small smile at her worry and patted her on the head while saying, "I'm fine, Nel-chan. A little sore, but I'm just fine. Are you alright?"

Nel gave him a wide smile and replied, "Nel's okay, but Nel was so worried about you!"

"Well I'm fine and I'm glad you are too. Now, what do you say we go back inside, huh?"

Nel nodded before her face looked nervous and unsure. Naruto raised a brow at that and was about to ask her what was wrong, but she beat him to it by saying, "Um Naruto, Nel thinks that she's ready to fix her mask. Is that okay?"

Naruto looked surprised at her request before he smiled and answered, "Sure Nel-chan. Did you want to do it now?"

"No, Nel can wait for tonight. The others said something about 'seeing the sights'… What does that mean? How do you see sights?"

Naruto chuckled at her innocent question and answered, "It means that they want to explore the city and see what goes on every day. Did you want to go with them?"

"Are you going?"

"Only if you want me to, Nel-chan," he said with a smile.

Nel smiled and nodded before she began leading him back inside. However, Naruto placed her on his shoulders, said goodbye to Sui-Feng, and rushed to the training grounds under Urahara's at full speed with Nel cheering the whole way. It didn't even take them two minutes to reach the place, but Naruto was surprised to see Yoruichi sitting on a nearby rock… with a stopwatch in her hand.

"One minute, nine seconds, and eighty-three milliseconds… You were slower by three seconds, otouto. What happened?" she asked with a grin.

Naruto shrugged and answered, "Oh you know… Infiltrated Las Noches, broke Halibel's friends free, and fought some Arrancar… All boring stuff, really. I guess all the boredom slowed me down and I wanted to take my time getting here."

"You call two seconds slower 'taking your time'?" she deadpanned.

"Exactly!" he replied with a foxy grin while Nel giggled.

Yoruichi shook her head in amusement before he led the two of them inside. Once they saw Urahara, Naruto asked him for four adult sized gigai and one child sized one so that Halibel, her Fracción, and Nel could walk around without worry. Kisuke surprised him by tossing five gigai pills to him as soon as he finished asking. He stared at him in surprise and was about to speak before Yoruichi said, "Don't try to understand how he does it because even I don't know. And I've known the man for over a century!"

Naruto just nodded dumbly before he raced back to his place and headed inside. He found Halibel and the other three seated at the table in the meeting room while Pesche and Dondachaka were talking on the couch. Once they noticed him and Nel, Halibel asked, "Did Sui-Feng-san get her questions answered, Naruto?"

"Yea, I let her know what happened and she understands. She was just worried about," he said with a smile. He didn't see the faint look of jealousy on Halibel's face, but her Fracción did and they gave her small smirks. "Anyway, I got you girls some gigai so that you all can see the town without worry." He then handed them the pills and they each looked at them skeptically before they swallowed them.

Halibel's gigai gave her a short-sleeve black shirt, a dark blue jacket, black jeans, a pair of dark blue sneakers, and a black scarf that covered the lower half of her face. Apacci wore a long-sleeved maroon shirt, forest green jeans, and black sneakers. Mila Rose wore a short-sleeved brown shirt, a short black skirt, brown sneakers, and a black choker. Sung-Sun wore a long-sleeved white shirt that had the sleeves extended like her normal one, a long black skirt, and had white clips in her hair.

Nel looked surprised at their changes before she swallowed the gigai for her. Once she did, she was seen wearing a dark green hoodie over an orange shirt, a pair of black pants, and green sneakers. The hood of her sweater had the same cartoon-like skull design on it just like her mask and the scar on her face seemed to be a bit more faded.

Naruto looked them all over before he swallowed his own gigai and appeared unchanged much to his amusement at the girls' expectancy of him looking different. He then led them through the city and showed them the park, many different restaurants and food stands, and the mall. Not surprisingly, it was the mall that they stayed in the longest much to Naruto's hidden annoyance.

Inside his mind, his family were laughing up a storm at his predicament before he focused and made a literal storm rage throughout the inner village in his soul. The five of them were drenched in the downpour and Jiraiya even got hit by a shot of lightning that made his long white hair become spikier than it already was much to the amusement of the others.

As Naruto mentally laughed at his godfather's new hairstyle, he noticed Halibel standing unsurely in front of a man-sized mirror. He walked up to her and asked, "Is everything alright, Halibel?"

She was silent for a bit before she asked, "The gigai don't show our mask fragments, right?"

"I don't think so… Why do you ask?"

She didn't answer him and just slowly began removing her scarf. Once it was removed, Naruto stood in shock at how beautiful she looked. Her complexion was perfectly tanned despite being constantly covered, her face was heart-shaped, and she had blue lightning bolt marks on each cheek.

"Beautiful…" he couldn't help but whisper at the sight.

She blushed slightly at that and focused on her reflection in the mirror. If she was honest with herself, she did not even remember what her face looked like. She was slightly relieved that Naruto wasn't afraid of her appearance, but she couldn't understand why. And the blush she had; what did it mean? She was unsure but she couldn't deny that hearing him call her beautiful made her heart warm a little.

She then rewrapped the scarf and headed off to find her friends while Naruto was left standing where he was in surprise at her hurried actions. Did he say something wrong, or was she embarrassed at her appearance? _'If she was, why would she be? She looked like an angel…'_ he thought to himself before he followed her.

The rest of the day was spent visiting shops and getting the girls acquainted with the city before they all returned to the Ramen Stand. He wished them all a good night before he turned to leave, but Halibel stopped him. He turned to see what she needed and was surprised to see she had her scarf off again, but he became even more when she leaned up and kissed him on his cheek. His face turned bright red while she had a slight blush on hers.

"I just wanted to thank you for helping me save my friends. Without you, I worry about what could have happened."

He still had his blush as he rubbed the back of his head bashfully. "It was nothing, really. I just did what anyone would do for a friend, Halibel-chan."

She gave him a small smile that made him freeze and replied, "It was far from nothing… You risked your life just to help me save them. I'll be forever grateful to you, Naruto."

He just nodded dumbly since her smile, while small, was simply stunning to him. "Well, I'm glad that your friends are safe. Goodnight…" he said as he left.

Once he was gone, Halibel turned to her friends who all had smirks on their faces making her slightly nervous. "So, what was that all about, Halibel-sama?" Mila asked.

"I was merely showing my thanks to Naruto."

Sung-Sun chuckled behind her sleeve at that. "You don't realize it, do you Halibel-sama?"

"Realize what?" she asked in confusion.

Apacci's smirk grew into a grin and she answered, "What she means is that you like him! It's as clear as day!"

Halibel's blush returned at that and she replied, "I don't know what you mean by that."

"Halibel-sama, you kissed him when you could've just said 'Thank you' to him," Mila pointed out. "You're falling for him and you don't even realize it."

Halibel stayed quiet and Sung-Sun said, "We're not trying to embarrass you, Aijin (Mistress). In fact, we're happy that someone has actually made you feel this way. We were afraid that you would never find anyone…"

Halibel was surprised at that and looked to the other two for confirmation. At their nods, she asked, "Did you really think that?"

"Yes, but if you ask me, those guys back at Las Noches were no good for you," Apacci stated. "They all had their own problems that made them seem not worthy."

"And Naruto…?"

They all smiled and Mila said, "I've never met someone that I felt was more worthy of you, Aijin. He's strong, valiant, and not to mention Aizen is slightly intimidated of him… I think you should go for it!"

Halibel stayed quiet after that and merely laid down on her bed while trying to sort out these feelings she had for her red-blonde comrade.

With Naruto and Nel

Unaware of Halibel's personal issues, Naruto sat cross-legged in front of Nel with his right hand on top of the crack of her mask. "Are you ready, Nel-chan?" At her nod, he began focusing Kurama's reiatsu along with his own through his hand and into the mask. Once the mixed energies entered the crack, Naruto and the fox were thrust into a place where it was full of fog and the only other thing besides them was a large broken mirror.

"**Well, this is interesting,"** Kyuubi commented. **"It seems as if this mirror represents the girl's memories…"**

"And her memories are connected to the restoration of her power," Naruto finished. "So, if we fix the mirror…"

"**We restore Nel's power. The question that remains is how?"**

Naruto closed his eyes in concentration and the cracks in mirror began to glow blue, red, and purple in various parts. The blue cracks radiated a feeling of light and warmth while the red cracks emitted a dense darkness and the purple cracks felt like a perfect mix of light and dark.

"Okay… It looks like the blue cracks represent the Shinigami side of Nel-chan while the red cracks represent her Hollow side…"

"**And the purple ones…?"**

"They must be the binds that connect them together… Arrancar are Hollows that have gained Shinigami power, but the energies are too opposite to work together easily… So, they need areas to connect and bind them together so that the energies could intertwine and mix together."

"**So in other words, we need to place a perfect balance of our reiatsu in those areas?"**

"Exactly… If one is stronger than the other, we'll cause more harm than good for Nel-chan."

With a plan set, the two got to work. Naruto focused on the blue cracks while Kurama focused on the red ones. It was time-consuming and very draining on their reserves, but their efforts were paying off as they noticed the mirror restoring itself and an outline of a woman appeared on the other side of the glass.

All that was left was the purple ones and the mirror would be fixed. Naruto turned to the fox, smirked, and held out his fist for Kurama to bump with. Kyuubi smirked at that before he bumped his giant fist with Naruto's and the two were engulfed in an orange light before Naruto stood in his Kyuubi Form with a flaming silhouette of the fox stood behind him. He then held out both hands before he began focusing reiatsu into them. In his right hand, an orb of bright yellow reiatsu formed while a crimson one formed in his left. In the yellow sphere, Naruto was able to feel the energies of his family while he felt Kurama's in the crimson one. He then slammed the spheres together, forming an orange one the size of an _Oodama Rasengan_ (Giant Rasengan), before he fired a concentrated beam at the mirror.

As soon as the mixed energies hit the mirror, the cracks rapidly began repairing themselves and in a manner of five seconds, the mirror was completely fixed and the woman-shaped silhouette bowed to them in gratitude before the mirror faded away. The fog slowly disappeared before the area became that of beautiful field that stretched for miles with the sun shining overhead. Naruto smiled before he left Nel's mindscape and regained focus in the real world. He then turned to Nel and froze at the sight of her true form.

The Nel in front of him was a curvaceous woman with long waving greenish blue hair. She retained similar features to her child form, such as the scar and the crimson line that ran across her face, but her bottom canines weren't quite as pronounced. Her old green outfit that resembled a gown became torn into a skirt and a top with the top barely covering her D-Cup breasts. Her skull mask appeared sharper and less cartoonish with a pair of curved horns on top. A large "3" was tattooed on her back, indicating her old rank as Terceira Espada. In her left hand was her old sealed Zanpakuto.

When she opened her eyes, they were still hazel colored and still showed some of her old childish nature, but Naruto could see a deep seriousness behind the playfulness. He stood up and saw that he was a few inches taller than her before he smiled to her.

"So, how does it feel to have your power back, Nel-chan?"

Nel looked to her right hand and clenched it a few times before she turned her gaze back to Naruto and replied, "I feel like my old self again…Naruto-kun."

(End)

And that wraps up chapter 24! What did you guys think?

Review! Review! Review!

AN: Again, the poll is officially over! "Mai's Teacher" has won by four and will have its first chapter in January!

Next Time: With his allies recovered and stronger than before, Naruto begins preparations for bringing the fight to Las Noches! What will the plan be and what of Halibel's feelings for Naruto? And what happens when Nel starts to fall for him as well? Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	25. Chapter 25: A Plan and Capture

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has Naruto coming up with a plan for the upcoming war and someone gets captured and taken to Las Noches.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (How would I go about to make it mine anyway?)

Poll Notice: I posted a new poll specifically for a future "Children of Prophecy" story! Just to note right now, you can ask me for small details of the two choices, or even offer input of the two, before you vote! This will _not_ be a sequel of this story! It is a separate one. This poll will stay up until one of the choices reaches 100 votes.

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'_**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**_

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 25: A Plan and Capture

Naruto was currently using his Rinnegan to look over the recovered Nel and was having Tsunade look as well from inside his soul.

'_She seems perfectly fine to me, baa-chan… I don't sense anything off about her. What do you think?'_

"Well, she doesn't seem to have anything wrong with her reiatsu… In fact, it seems to be increasing slowly at this moment…"

'_Leftover reiatsu that wasn't recovered yet, or is she gaining more?'_ he asked in confusion.

"The first seems more likely… However, we never knew what her limit was to begin with, so we can't be certain. In any case, Nel's made a full recovery. Good job, Naruto."

'_Yea, thanks for your help Tsunade,'_ Naruto replied before he resealed Uzukage and cut the Rinnegan from his eyes.

"So, was my recovery successful, Naruto-kun?" Nel asked.

The red-blonde smiled and answered, "Yep, you're perfectly healthy Nel-chan. You just have to finish recovering your reiatsu. How do you feel?"

"I feel fine; better than before actually." She then hugged him and pressed her impressive bosom into his chest, causing him to blush. "Thank you for helping me restore my power, Naruto-kun. I'll never forget this." She then kissed him on the cheek, deepening his blush, and let him go. She giggled at his red face while she leaned forward slightly with her hands behind her back. "Are you okay, Naruto-kun?" she asked innocently.

Naruto tried to bring down his blush before he replied, "Y-Yea, I'm fine. I'm just glad that you're okay." He then began heading inside and didn't see the mischievous smirk on Nel's face. He did, however, feel her jump on his back and wrap her arms around his neck. "N-Nel, what are you doing?" he cried out in surprise as he used his hands to support her legs.

"What? Just because I'm no longer child-sized doesn't mean I don't like riding you."

Naruto mind short circuited slightly and his face grew bright red at the double meaning of her statement while his family was gasping for air in their laughter. "Oh wow, she knows how to play the game!" Anko commented.

"I never thought I'd see the day… A beautiful woman literally throwing herself at you, gaki!" Jiraiya stated with a perverted grin. "I thought it would happen, but I never believed I'd actually see it!"

'_Well, I'm glad that I could be so entertaining to you… Now, stop laughing or else I'll let you guys fight Kurama.'_

"**Ooh Ooh! Can't you let me fight them anyway?"** the fox asked excitedly. **"C'mon, it's so **_**boring**_** in here!"**

'_Maybe later… Right now, I have some plans to come up with,'_ he said as he cut the mental connection.

As he and Nel made their way back inside, Nel laid her head on his left shoulder and leaned it on his own. "This feels nice…" she said contently.

Naruto smiled at that and replied, "Yea, I guess it does." He then had a thoughtful look before asking, "Hey Nel-chan, what's with you all of a sudden?"

"What do you mean?" she asked confusedly.

"I mean, you've been kinda…clingy ever since your power was restored. I was just wondering why…"

Nel looked slightly nervous at that before she whispered sadly, "Does it bother you?"

"No, I'm just confused is all. You haven't bothered me ever since we met, Nel-chan, and I don't think you ever could," he answered truthfully, making her smile again.

"Well, the reason is that… I uh… I-"

"There you are, Namikaze," Toshiro said as he entered the training area. "I've been looking for you."

"Why? What's going on?" asked the Jinchuriki.

"We're about to try and figure out what to do now that we know we can take the fight to Aizen. Since you've been there and have a basic idea of the place, you're needed at the meeting."

"Alright, lead on then," he stated before he and Nel, who had gotten off his back, began to follow the icy Taicho. Along the way, Nel grabbed Naruto's hand and smiled when he looked to her. _'Well, I guess Nel-chan has a little crush on me… Didn't see that one coming… Still, she's a lot more forward than Sui-chan is, that's for sure.'_

Once they entered the meeting room, both Sui-Feng and Halibel noticed Nel grasping Naruto's hand and felt some jealousy bubble in them. However, while jealous, Halibel was glad that Nel had restored her power.

Naruto let go of Nel's hand, much to her displeasure, and headed for the table that had a partial map of the interior of Las Noches. He looked it over and was muttering to himself while the others waited for him to speak. "Is this all we know of the interior?" the red-blonde asked Halibel and her Fracción.

"The place is huge, Naruto-san," Sung-Sun answered. "You're lucky enough to have that much written down."

Nel strode up to the table and looked at the map over Naruto's shoulder before she draped herself over them and pointed to certain parts of the map. "There are hidden passageways here, here, and here… There is also a medic bay here. Not to mention the chamber holding the Hogyoku right there… This map only covers about one fifth of Las Noches, but I'm pretty sure I could fill out another two fifths."

Naruto nodded and acted as if she was resting on him while Rangiku giggled at the jealous looks on the faces of Sui-Feng and Halibel. _'Well well Naruto, you're quite the heartthrob, aren't you? I'll admit, if I didn't have my heart wanting another, I would be after you too.'_

"Alright, while Nel-chan fills out what she knows on the map, the rest of us need to figure out who will infiltrate the place and take the fight to the Arrancar," Naruto stated. "No more than five can go since we need to move swiftly and efficiently. So, who is going with me?"

"And why exactly are you already on the list, Namikaze?" asked Hitsugaya. "You've proven to be a magnet for the Arrancar; especially since you've brought more into our ranks after Halibel. Why should you be allowed to go?"

Naruto narrowed his eyes at the teenage looking Taicho and responded, "I'm going because as of this moment, only Yamamoto and I have the best chance against Aizen."

"You seem pretty arrogant in your abilities."

"No, I'm just confident in them. You saw what I did to Aizen when I fought him, and that was my first time using my Bankai. Imagine what I could do now that I have more abilities under my belt."

"While that may be true, we must also assume that Aizen has gained power as well. Plus, he wasn't even using his Bankai against you, or even his Shikai!" Toshiro argued.

"Even if he did use Shikai, it would be ineffective against my Rinnegan. After all, I was the one who saw right through the bastard's illusion while the rest of the Seireitei was caught in it. Also, Ichigo hasn't even seen it, so he's immune to it since you said that the trick to it is having been caught in it upon its release. I don't know if the Sotaicho has been caught in it, but I do know that Ichigo and I are the only ones who won't be affected by Aizen's illusions."

"The map's ready, Naruto-kun," Nel called from the table.

She handed Naruto the more detailed map and he was impressed with the many different passageways that they could take when they infiltrated the palace. "This is great… Now we have a better advantage against Aizen. Great work, Nel-chan."

"You're welcome," she replied with a smile. She then noticed Halibel and Sui-Feng giving her irritated looks and she gave a small victory smirk to them while Naruto was focused on the map.

Both of them bristled slightly at her smirk and thought, _'You may have won this time, but the battle isn't over yet.'_

"Now, Toshiro is there any other reason you feel I shouldn't go?"

Toshiro said nothing other than muttering, "It's 'Hitsugaya-Taicho'," which made him chuckle while Rangiku giggled silently at her Captain's pet peeve.

"Alright, so who else will come with me?"

"I'll go!" Nel cried out excitedly while jumping on Naruto's back again. "I'll fight with you, Naruto-kun."

"I'll go as well," Halibel and Sui-Feng said simultaneously making Naruto sweat-drop slightly.

'_I think this might not have been such a good plan now… I just hope that they can work well together,'_ Naruto thought before stating, "We need one more… I can't have you come with us Toshiro since we need at least one Taicho Class Shinigami defending the city. Ichigo would probably be the next best choice, but he may want to stay close to his family… Still, it couldn't hurt to ask him."

"So, is Kurosaki your last member?" Toshiro asked.

"If he accepts, then yes. If not, then I'll probably ask Yoruichi-nee to come with us instead. I'll go ask him now," Naruto replied as he made his way out of the base.

"I'll come too," Nel called out after him. Halibel and Sui-Feng looked to one another before nodding and leaving the room after the greenette.

Rangiku couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed hysterically at what she had just seen. At Toshiro's confused look, she stated, "Naruto sure has some strong women after him. Wouldn't you agree, Taicho?"

Hitsugaya simply shook his head at the foolishness of the situation and replied, "I just hope he knows what he's doing."

Kurosaki Residence

Naruto and the girls, all in gigai, were currently watching the spectacle know as Ichigo vs. Ishin with Yuzu, Karin, and Rukia.

"100 yen says that Ichigo wins by drop-kicking Ishin," Naruto offered.

"I'll take that bet," Karin stated as Ishin got in a haymaker on Ichigo.

"Is this…normal for your family?" asked Sui-Feng unsurely.

"Yes, but it has calmed down to only twice a week instead of once a day," Yuzu answered. She then turned to Naruto and asked, "So Naruto, who are your friends?"

"Oh, this is Sui-Feng, Halibel, and Nel. Girls, this is Yuzu and Karin Kurosaki, Ichigo's sisters."

"Nice to meet you," Nel greeted with a smile while the other two nodded politely.

"How'd you meet them?" Karin asked.

"Well, Sui-Feng is a Shinigami like Rukia is, but she's at the level of Taicho while Halibel and Nel are Arrancar, or Hollows with Shinigami power. Don't worry, they're on our side," he reassured them when he saw they were beginning to worry. "Anyway, we came here to ask your brother a question, but his fight with Ishin seems more interesting at the moment."

"Take this!" Ichigo yelled before he drop-kicked his father and knocked him out. Karin grumbled slightly while handing a smirking Naruto the respective yen betted. Ichigo's eye twitched at that before he asked, "So, what is it you wanted to ask me?"

"We're preparing to lead a small assault on Las Noches and are short one member. You interested?"

Ichigo grinned slightly and replied, "Yes I am actually. When were you planning to leave?"

"Within the next two weeks. That should give us plenty of time to prepare."

"Alright, count me in."

"Good, then I'll see you at Kisuke's in 10 days. Sound good?" Naruto asked while Ichigo nodded. "Alright, then we'll be going now since that's all we needed. See ya then, Ichigo."

After Naruto and the girls left, Rukia turned to Ichigo and asked, "Are you sure you're ready for this Ichigo-kun?"

"Not fully, but 10 days should give me plenty of time to finish preparing. I'm gonna go see Shinji about some more training sessions. Want to come, Rukia-chan?"

"Sure, just let me get ready," she answered before heading upstairs.

Yuzu and Karin smiled at how close their brother and Rukia had gotten and thought, _'They're good for each other.'_

Later that night (Orihime's Home)

Orihime was in the middle of eating a home-cooked meal and smiled to herself at how good life had been for her after Naruto saved her, Chad, and Tatsuki from the Arrancar a few weeks ago. She knew now that Halibel was on their side from Ichigo and that more Arrancar had joined the fight against Aizen because of the red-blonde. Naruto amazed her with his ability to reach out and connect to others and she couldn't help but admire him.

However, she knew that she didn't have much of a chance with him since, according to Rangiku who visited earlier that day, there were currently three others who wished to be with him. She sighed sadly to herself at the thought of losing two people she admired because she was too late. Ichigo and Rukia were already close and were growing closer while Naruto had _three_ girls interested in him.

'_I guess that's what happens when I wait too long…'_ she thought before she went to sleep. However, unknown to her, Ulquiorra had come to take her to Las Noches under orders from Aizen. Using his reiatsu to affect her sleeping mind, he made it so that she would stay unconscious until they returned to Aizen. He then opened a Garganta and took her through it.

Orihime's disappearance wouldn't be noticed until the next morning when Tatsuki would visit like she normally did. After not finding her, she would go inform Ichigo who would relay it to Naruto. The red-blonde knew one thing at that moment…

They would have to leave that night to save Orihime.

(End)

And that wraps up chapter 25! What did you guys think? I know it was shorter than many other chapters, but this was mainly to set the stage for the "Return to Las Noches Arc". The "Arrancar Arc" officially ends with this chapter. Two more arcs to go; "Return to Las Noches" and "Karakura Town War".

Review! Review! Review!

AN: Again, there is a poll for a second "Children of Prophecy" story after I finish this one. It will end when one of them reaches 100 votes.

Next Time: With Orihime taken, what will happen when the gang heads to Las Noches with Aizen prepared this time? Will they save Orihime? Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	26. Chapter 26: Into the Lions Den Pt 1

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has the group heading for Las Noches to rescue Orihime. This is part 1.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (How would I go about to make it mine anyway?)

Poll Notice: As of 11/17/12, FMA has 64 votes and KH has 49 votes. The poll goes on until one of the choices has 100 votes, so please vote if you have not!

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'_**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**_

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 26: Going into the Lion's Den Pt. 1

Naruto was currently in the middle of the training ground underneath the Urahara Shop talking to his family and tenant. He needed to be fully prepared for the battle ahead, and he knew it would be a big one. So, he took this moment to make sure that they were completely ready.

'_Are we all set?'_ he questioned them.

"Almost, however we might need to train more in our Bankai for this," answered Kushina. "You've been so focused on your demonic reiatsu that your skills in Bankai may have diminished, Sochi-kun. You need to keep that from happening, or else it'll be much harder to use it in battle."

"**She's right, Kit. Using demonic reiatsu may give you a better boost in battle, but your Bankai is that of the Rikudo Sennin **(Sage of Six Paths)**. You need to be able to control all of that power or else it could backfire on you."**

'_What do you mean? We fought against Aizen just fine the first time we used it.'_

"True, but that was mainly your adrenaline taking over," Tsunade retorted. "Remember gaki, all that power means nothing if you can't control it."

'_So, what do I do?'_

He heard Minato hum in thought over the question. "I would suggest you try to channel our specific reiatsu when you're using Uzukage, Naruto."

'_What will that accomplish?'_

"Okay, let's say you're using Kushina's reiatsu," Jiraiya suggested. "While using it with Uzukage, you should be able to manifest her power of the Rikudo through your blade."

'_So, you're saying that if I called upon her reiatsu, I'd be able to use the Preta Path with Uzukage, and I wouldn't have to be in Bankai? But how will that affect my control over the Bankai?'_

Anko smirked as she answered, "Simple gaki, if you are able to fully control our Rikudo power separately, then all the control you managed to complete will pass on to your Bankai; kinda like how your _Kage Bunshin_ pass on information to you once they dispel."

Naruto's eyes widened in surprise and he thought, _'Th-That's brilliant! If we succeed at this, controlling Bankai should be much simpler!'_ He then stood up from his lotus position and asked, _'I'm going to try it now. I'll be calling on Anko-nee's power of the Human Path; just to see if I can get a feel for the power.'_

Naruto them mentally released Uzukage and began to call upon Anko's reiatsu through the blade. What Naruto didn't know was that Yoruichi was watching him the whole time and was interested in what her otouto was working on this time. Imagine her surprise when she feels a reiatsu source slightly different than Naruto's or Kurama's flowing through him and transforming him. Naruto's form was rippling like a reflection in the water and slowly turned into a purple-haired woman with an outfit similar to his, only her vest matched her hair color. She headed towards him in a _Shunpo_ so that she could figure out what he was doing.

Once Anko opened her eyes, she was surprised to see herself in Naruto's place. She looked around and saw Yoruichi heading towards her while she mentally asked, _'Guys, what the hell just happened? I thought Naruto was only supposed to get my power; not have me switch places with him!'_

"It's weird on my end too, Anko-nee," Naruto commented. "It's strange being in my own mindscape and seeing the outside through your eyes. Hey baa-chan, what happened?"

"I'm not sure… If I had to take a guess, I'd say that the power shift goes much farther than that; if you and Anko switching places has anything to say about it."

'_So, instead of just gaining our power, we switch places with him?'_

"Yes, that's exactly right. It's quite amazing really… However, we'll have to see if we can make the transitions between all of the bodies and if we can do it faster. If we could make split-second switches in battle, then that could give us a major advantage."

"Interesting… Oh, Yoruichi's coming! Anko, switch with me," Naruto said while Anko complied.

When Yoruichi arrived, she saw Anko's form ripple and change into Naruto. It was a little faster than when Naruto changed into Anko, but not by much. When the transition was finished, Yoruichi asked, "What happened earlier, Naruto? Were you practicing your _Henge_ technique?"

"No, I was actually working on my Rikudo Paths. It turns out that I can switch out with them when I use Uzukage."

"So, that woman who was in your place just now…?" she asked in surprise.

"That was one of my Paths, and Anko-nee; the woman I told you about a while back."

"Huh… I can see why you told me that I remind you so much of her. So, what exactly are you trying to do?"

"Well, my Bankai calls all of my Paths together simultaneously, but I've only used it once. So, I was trying to work with each Path's power separately so that using them all at once wouldn't be so challenging. However, we found out that I don't just call upon their power; I switch out with the one I choose."

That surprised the werecat. "That's amazing, and it'll definitely be quite a boon for you in battle. So, what's the status on getting to Las Noches?"

"The others are preparing now as we speak, and we plan to leave tonight."

"Who's all going?"

"Sui-Feng, Halibel, Nel, Ichigo, and I are all going. However, Uryuu and Chad have expressed their desire to go as well, seeing as Orihime is their friend and all. Tatsuki wanted to go as well, but she has no power to call upon that'll help her against Hollows. So, she'll have to stay here."

Yoruichi nodded and was about to ask another question before Sui-Feng arrived with Halibel and Nel. Nel had to get a replacement outfit seeing as wearing a torn green one wouldn't do her good in Las Noches. She now wore a black long-sleeved shirt, forest green cargo pants, and black boots. Her sword was strapped to her waist and her demeanor was one of calm determination. It was actually quite a sight for Naruto since he was more used to her carefree side, but he was glad she could be serious when the time called for it.

"Good to see you ladies. Where's Ichigo and the others?" Naruto asked.

"Kurosaki-san went to go get them while we headed here. They should be here in a couple minutes," Halibel answered. She was slightly nervous about returning to the Hollow Night Palace. After all, Aizen most likely had a trap waiting for them and they were heading straight for it.

"Alright, we'll leave as soon as they arrive," Naruto stated before he tried switching with another of his family. He focused on his mother's reiatsu and felt his form ripple. The others saw the rippling as well and they tensed slightly. Even though Yoruichi knew what was happening, she couldn't stop her natural reaction to a reiatsu shift.

After the rippling died down, Kushina was standing in Naruto's place. She looked around and said, "Man, Anko-chan was right… This is seriously strange being on the outside."

Sui-Feng's eyes narrowed dangerously and she put a hand on the handle of her Zanpakuto before she asked, "What's going on here? Why did Naruto call out his Bankai?"

Kushina rolled her eyes at her question and answered, "My son didn't call upon his Bankai. We found out that the other Paths and I are able to switch out with him when he uses Uzukage. Naruto already tried it out with Anko-chan, so I'm guessing he was just checking if it'll work with the other Paths."

"So, you're his mother then?" Halibel asked.

"Yes, my name is Kushina Uzumaki, Naruto's mother. Nice to finally meet the three women who seem so interested in my son," Kushina greeted with a smirk. Her smirk grew when the three of them looked slightly flushed. "Just be sure not to hurt him, ladies…" her smile then turned to an emotionless look, "…or else I'll hurt _you_."

While the three of them nodded, she heard Naruto groan slightly and call out, "Way to make the situation awkward, kaa-san. Why would you do that?"

'_Sochi, you know that it's a mother's job to worry about whoever is interested in their child. I just want them to make sure you're happy. Besides, you can't deny that you find them attractive.'_

"I never said I denied it! I just wanted to try and handle it myself."

Jiraiya smirked before he asked, "And how exactly did you plan on doing that, gaki?"

Naruto looked embarrassed before he answered, "Well, I didn't exactly have a solution yet…" This caused his family and Kurama to laugh at the red-blonde. "Hey, c'mon it's not that funny!"

"Yes it is, son," Minato said in between laughs. "You told her to butt out, and you didn't even have a solution! If we let you handle it, it would have dragged on for a while, and you know it."

Naruto sighed before he switched out with Kushina. After the switch, he gave an awkward glance to the three women his mother just threatened and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Sorry about that… I guess kaa-san could be a handful at times," he said while ignoring his mothers shout of "I am not, dattebane!"

Luckily, he did not have to say anything more since Ichigo, Chad, and Uryuu arrived followed by Urahara. "Well now, it looks like you seven have quite the little escapade ahead of you, huh?" Urahara asked with his ever-famous fan flourished in front of his face.

Naruto nodded as Halibel and Nel prepared to open up a Garganta. "I'm leaving the city to you and Yoruichi-nee, Kisuke. I hope that it'll still be in one piece when we get back," he said with a smirk.

Yoruichi laughed at that and retorted, "And I hope you guys will still be in one piece as well. Good luck, everyone."

"Wait!" came a voice. Everyone turned to see Renji and Rukia running toward them. "We're coming too," Renji called out.

Naruto sighed in frustration and muttered to himself, "Why in Kami-sama's name can't anyone stick to a plan?"

"**You say that like you've ever stuck to a plan, Kit,"** the fox said with a smirk.

'_Shut up, you damn fox…'_ Naruto mentally retorted before asking, "What do you two think you're doing? We already have seven people; two more than I originally planned to bring! Bringing _nine_ people is crazy! How would we sneak through enemy lines?"

Rukia smiled before she answered, "Simple: most of us will be distractions while a smaller part of our group acts as retrievers. Naruto, you and Sui-Feng-Taicho would be best suited for that seeing as you two are masters of stealth. At least five of us will have to be distractions, though."

Naruto thought it over before nodding. "I suppose that sounds effective… And you're right about Sui-Feng and me being stealth masters… *sigh* Fine, you two can come, but don't expect me to be there to haul your asses out of the line of fire," he stated while the two of them nodded. "Alright, then the girls and I will be retrievers while Ichigo, Chad, Uryuu, Renji, and Rukia will act as distractions. Does everyone understand?"

At their nods, Naruto motioned for Nel and Halibel to open up the Garganta, which they complied to. Once it was opened, the group of nine jumped through and made their way through the dark void of the Dangai. It was a little while until they made it to the other side and landed in the moonlit sands of Hueco Mundo.

Naruto gazed towards the Hollow Night Palace in the distance and narrowed his eyes in determination. "Alright, we've got to hurry and get Orihime out of there. So, let's move!" he yelled before he activated his Kyuubi Mode and disappeared in a flicker of orange.

The rescue operation had begun.

(End Pt. 1)

And that wraps up chapter 26! What did you guys think?

Review! Review! Review!

Poll Reminder: As of 11/17/12, FMA has 64 votes and KH has 49 votes. The poll goes on until one of the choices has 100 votes, so please vote if you have not!

AN: Seeing as net weekend is Thanksgiving weekend, there will be no new chapter. I hope you all have a happy Turkey Day! Try not to eat too much! LOL!

Next Time: Part 2! Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	27. Chapter 27: Into the Lion's Den Pt 2

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has the group heading for Las Noches to rescue Orihime. This is part 2.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (How would I go about to make it mine anyway?)

Poll Notice: As of 11/30/12, the poll has ended with Full Metal Alchemist winning 103-65. So, when this "Children of Prophecy" story ends, I will start one with Naruto and FMA.

AN1: Sorry for the late update… I was outta town all day yesterday… Gomen Nasai...

AN2: Please look at my updated profile… I need you guys to vote on the poll and help me out with the picture/drawing situation I have. The poll is mainly to get your guys' opinion and is not all that important, but I'd still like for you to vote. The drawings though are something I would _really_ like you to help me with. Thank you in advance if you choose to help me!

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'_**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**_

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 27: Going into the Lion's Den Pt. 2

(Last Time)

"What do you two think you're doing? We already have seven people; two more than I originally planned to bring! Bringing _nine_ people is crazy! How would we sneak through enemy lines?" questioned Naruto.

Rukia smiled before she answered, "Simple: most of us will be distractions while a smaller part of our group acts as retrievers. Naruto, you and Sui-Feng-Taicho would be best suited for that seeing as you two are masters of stealth. At least five of us will have to be distractions, though."

Naruto thought it over before nodding. "I suppose that sounds effective… And you're right about Sui-Feng and me being stealth masters… *sigh* Fine, you two can come, but don't expect me to be there to haul your asses out of the line of fire," he stated while the two of them nodded. "Alright, then the girls and I will be retrievers while Ichigo, Chad, Uryuu, Renji, and Rukia will act as distractions. Does everyone understand?"

At their nods, Naruto motioned for Nel and Halibel to open up the Garganta, which they complied to. Once it was opened, the group of nine jumped through and made their way through the dark void of the Dangai. It was a little while until they made it to the other side and landed in the moonlit sands of Hueco Mundo.

Naruto gazed towards the Hollow Night Palace in the distance and narrowed his eyes in determination. "Alright, we've got to hurry and get Orihime out of there. So, let's move!" he yelled before he activated his Kyuubi Mode and disappeared in a flicker of orange.

The rescue operation had begun.

(Now)

The group of nine raced through the moonlit desert in hopes of reaching the palace of Las Noches as quick as possible. Naruto took point in his Kyuubi Mode with Sui-Feng and Halibel directly behind him. Nel was behind the two women followed by Ichigo and Rukia, Renji, Uryuu, and Chad. Naruto set a high pace for them with his incredible speed, but he made sure not to leave them behind.

They were at least five miles away before Naruto tensed quickly fired a _Cero_ at one fired by an enemy Arrancar. Amethyst reiatsu clashed with crimson and Naruto's attack easily tore through the Hollow's before it engulfed and destroyed it. Not long after, countless Adjuchas class Hollow began to surround the group, cutting off all points of escape.

Naruto grit his teeth in frustration and was about to begin his assault before Uryuu presented his restored Quincy powers by unleashing a shower of spirit arrows at the enemy behind them. Chad meanwhile used his left arm's _El Directo_ (One Strike of the Giant) to blast through the Hollows in front of them.

"Mai, Sode no Shirayuki (Dance, Sleeve of the White Snow)!" Rukia cried as she released her Zanpakuto's Shikai. Her sword turned completely white while the guard became a hollow snowflake-like circle and a white ribbon formed from the pommel. She then pointed her blade forward and yelled, "_Tsugi no Mai: Hakuren_ (Second Dance: White Ripple)!" From her blade, a blast of frigid air and snow fired at the Hollows on the group's right, freezing them solid in seconds before the ice cracked and disintegrated.

"Now roar, Zabimaru!" Renji yelled as he swung his whip-like blade at the enemies on the left. He was able to slice through quite a few of them while Ichigo fired a _Getsuga Tensho_ at the survivors. Once the whip resettled as a single blade, Renji looked around and asked, "Was that all of them?"

"Not even close," Naruto stated as he felt two incredibly high reiatsu levels approaching. He recognized one of them while Nel recognized the other. The red-blonde saw the greenette tense and he asked, "Everything alright, Nel-chan?"

Her eyes narrowed and she hissed out, "Nnoitra…" before two men appeared. One was revealed to be Grimmjow who had his constant grin on his face. The other wore a modified Arrancar jacket with an overblown spoon-like hood and an opening starting at the neckline, showing most of his midsection, and closing at his waist. He wore the standard hakama but the ends of his pant legs closed inside extended and curved boots. Naruto assumed that the second man was this Nnoitra Nel called out.

Grimmjow grinned wider at seeing Naruto and said, "Well, it looks like we get to have a little rematch, Namikaze. I've been waiting for the chance to tear you apart!"

Naruto smirked and replied, "Sorry, but we have someone to rescue at the moment. Maybe another time, Grimmjow…" His smirk turned into a grin as he said, "Tell you what, if you can beat Ichigo in a full-blown fight, I'll fight you again. I'm sure he'll be able to give you a good challenge."

Ichigo smirked at the opportunity to show his growth while Grimmjow's grin turned into a scowl. "You're dumping me on Kurosaki? What the fuck is up with that, you whisker-faced bastard?!" He then grinned again and stated, "Oh, I get it! You're scared to face me again because you know your last win was a fluke! Ha! You're nothing but a coward!"

Suddenly, Naruto appeared in front of Grimmjow with his left hand grasping his throat while his right held Uzukage pointed at his heart. His face showed no emotion as he spoke calmly. "You think I'm afraid of you? Fool… You weren't a match for me back then, so what makes you think that anything has changed now?"

Naruto's form then rippled and changed to Minato's who still held the Espada by his throat. "You still fight for all the wrong reasons, Grimmjow…"

His form then changed to Kushina who said, "Your arrogance makes you weak…"

Tsunade was next, and she stated, "Your disregard for your allies makes you weaker…"

Jiraiya appeared after that while saying, "Aizen's so-called 'power' won't give you the strength you seek…"

Finally, Anko appeared and whispered, "You're nothing more than a mindless beast that will be hunted down like the animal you are…"

Grimmjow's face grew angrier with each comment before reiatsu exploded from him, pushing Anko back a few feet. His eyes were glaring at the violet-haired woman murderously while he roared, "You call me weak? You say that I'm just a beast?! Well, let me show you how beastly I really am!" He then drew his sword and scraped his nails across it, turning the blade a bright blue. Reiatsu continued to swirl around him while he cried, "Grind, Pantera (Panther King)!"

The others backed up a couple steps while the rising energy swirled the sand around the bluenette and obscured him from their view. Once the dust cleared, Grimmjow stood in his Resurrección form. His teeth became jagged and sharp, his hands turned into black claws and his feet became black clawed paws, similar to that of a cat, along with a slender whip-like tail that was longer than his body. His hair became very long and flowing, and the markings around his eyes enlarged and extended to the tips of his ears, which became swept back and cat-like. He lost his distinctive jaw mask, which was replaced by a sort of a headgear upon his brow covering his forehead. His clothing changed to become form-fitting white segmented armor, similar to his original Adjuchas-Hollow form. He also had blades protruding from his forearms and his calves, adding more ferocity and deadliness to his appearance.

"Ichigo," Anko called out getting the teen's attention. "We need you to handle him while we look for Orihime. Think you can take the blue-haired bastard?"

Ichigo's answer came in the form of him releasing his Bankai and summoning his Vizard Mask. After bringing out his dark power, he said, **"Leave him to me."**

Anko nodded before she changed back to Naruto who turned his gaze to Nnoitra who had stayed silent the entire time. "Why haven't you transformed yet? Do you honestly believe that Grimmjow can take _all_ of us?"

Nnoitra smirked and retorted, "Of course not, but he can leave you guys open for me to take down in a moment's notice. Besides, why should I use my Resurrección against weaklings like you?"

Naruto shook his head in disappointment while asking out loud, "Are all of you fools this arrogant, or did we get unlucky enough to have to deal with the ones who are?"

He didn't receive an answer from them. Instead, Grimmjow blurred from view and tried to attack the red-blonde, only to be intercepted by Ichigo.

The Vizard turned his head to them while blocking the panther-like Arrancar and yelled, **"Go, I'll hold him off!"**

"Get out of my way, Kurosaki! My fight is with that red-blonde bastard!" roared the Espada.

Naruto and the others took this time to try and head for Las Noches again. Nnoitra made to top them but was stopped by a fist crashing into his face. The blow sent the Espada flying across the dunes. Naruto stopped and turned to see that Nel was the one who stopped Nnoitra. She turned to meet his gaze and smiled before saying, "Go Naruto-kun… I'll be fine."

He nodded while ordering, "Don't die on me, Nel-chan…" He then turned and raced after the others who never stopped moving. He did notice though that Rukia had stayed back to assist Ichigo. _'I hope she knows what she's doing…'_

When Nel saw the others had made it a fair distance away, she focused again on Nnoitra, the man who caused her so much pain. She always believed that straight out fights without meaning or purpose were a waste of time and not worth anything. However, a fight for vengeance or retribution was a fight worth something, and Nel had some serious retribution to get from the Quinto (Fifth) Espada.

Ichigo & Rukia vs. Grimmjow

Rukia gazed to the moonlit skies of the white sand desert and witnessed a fight of epic proportions taking place above her. Ichigo was clashing against Grimmjow, matching him blow for blow. It was Man vs. Hollow… Shinigami vs. Arrancar… Vizard vs. Espada… The two combatants were moving at such a high speed that she had to strain her eyes slightly to see them, and even then they were like blurs of black and white.

She clenched the handle of her sword tightly in frustration. She couldn't just stand by and do nothing while Ichigo put his life on the line. _'Calm yourself, Rukia. It won't do you any good to get frustrated after all,'_ came the soothing voice of her Zanpakuto spirit.

'_How can I calm down when Ichigo-kun is risking his life up there?'_

'_Perhaps if you called upon my full power, you'd be able to assist the one you've grown to cherish…'_

That suggestion surprised the violet-eyed Shinigami. _'Would you truly lend me your power? I haven't passed any tests from you… Why would you offer your power to me?'_

Shirayuki smiled kindly to her wielder and replied, _'You passed my test a long time ago. You needed to forgive yourself for all the so-called wrongs you've committed in your life. Kaien-san's death was not your fault and neither were the deaths of those two orphans that were killed by that possessed Shinigami _(1)_. Once you forgave yourself and accepted that you couldn't have done anymore for them, I deemed you worthy of ascension.'_ She then gained a determined look and began pouring her power into the blade._ 'Now Rukia, call upon my power! Show them all the power of our bond!'_

Rukia nodded and flared her reiatsu before she held her sword in front of her, with the blade facing the heavens. White reiatsu flowed from her and began to engulf her as she cried, "Bankai!"

The flare of reiatsu drew the attention of Ichigo and Grimmjow, and the two turned their gazes towards the source. Ichigo was shocked to see Rukia calling upon such high levels of reiatsu but he smiled nonetheless. _'Congratulations Rukia-chan… You've reached Bankai.'_

After the light from Rukia's reiatsu died down, she was seen to be dressed in a tattered, casual white kimono with what seemed to be a long-collared red cape on her back (2). Her hair grew longer and changed from an ebon black to a beautifully pure white while her violet eyes gained a blue tint to them. In her hands was a blade that appeared to be made of swirling snow, the flakes flowing around her new form.

She gave a small smile as she stated the name of her ascended Zanpakuto. "Sokuban no Shirayuki (Shroud of the White Snow)…"

Ichigo chuckled before he turned his gaze to his opponent. "Get ready Grimmjow, because this fight is just beginning."

Round Two had begun.

Nel vs. Nnoitra

The sound of blades crashing echoed across the sands of Hueco Mundo as Nel and Nnoitra fought. Nel's eyes were full of determination and fury while Nnoitra tried to keep up his bravado of being calm. Inside however, he was slightly worried. After all, the last time he saw Nel was when he caused that crack in her mask that she used to have. Now though, her mask was fully restored; along with her powers.

There was no advantage for him in this fight.

"You're skills seem to have remained about the same over the years, Nnoitra," Nel commented as she went for a fierce slash on his right. "It amazes me that you were able to ascend in the ranks by three numbers over the years."

Nnoitra sneered as he pushed her away from him with his large weapon. "I'm not fighting seriously yet, bitch! Just wait and you'll see why I _earned_ my rise in the ranks!"

He then charged at her and began swinging his weapon in reckless abandon, but it was easily blocked or evaded by Nel's graceful movements. He then jumped into the air and brought down his blade, intending to slice the greenette down the middle. Nel's eyes showed no emotion as she lazily raised her right hand and halted his strike, her Zanpakuto held in the crevice of the two crescent-like blades. With her left hand, she gathered pink reiatsu into her palm and charged up a _Cero_ that was easily twice the normal size.

"I got the idea for this while watching Naruto-kun practice his _Oodama Rasengan_ (Giant Spiral Sphere). Tell me what you think of it, Nnoitra. _Oodama Cero_ (Giant Hollow Flash Bullet)!"

The enlarged _Cero_ blasted into Nnoitra's chest and sent him flying. He landed on the white sands with a large scorch mark on his chest that was bleeding profusely.

As he struggled to stand, he coughed out a bit of blood and glared murderously at Nel. Said greenette merely gave him a blank look and commented, "I'm surprised that my attack did only that much to you. Still, the results are very impressive, wouldn't you say?"

Nnoitra growled and began to let his reiatsu skyrocket, the energy covering his form in an ominous yellow glow. He ripped off his eyepatch, showing that it covered his Hollow Hole that took the place of his left eye, and raised his weapons. "I've had enough of you, you fucking bitch! It's time for you to finally die! Pray, Santa Teresa (Sacred Crying Mantis)!"

When the light from his Resurrección release died down, Nnoitra was seen to have gained an extra set of arms, which take on an insect-like carapace and clawed hands. Each hand held a large scythe-like weapon that resembled the appendages of a praying mantis. Each scythe had a small golden tassel at the end of each staff. He also gained a golden marking extending from his forehead to below his right eye, as well as a pair of horns on his head that resembled a crescent moon, with his left horn being longer than his right. His Hollow mask also changed and became torn, with the teeth extending over the hole itself.

Nel was surprised at the high level of reiatsu being emitted from Nnoitra and tensed slightly at the weight its aura brought down on her. She sighed before stating, "I was honestly hoping that I wouldn't have to resort to this. However, even I can't handle your level of reiatsu without increasing my own." She then held out her Zanpakuto horizontally in front of her and said, "Declare, Gamuza (Antelope Knight)…"

In a flash of light, Nel began her own transition to Resurrección. When her form was visible again, she was seen in the form of a brownish-green ibex-like centaur complete with a black horse's tail. Her Hollow mask's horns became longer and more curved and also extended slightly, framing the sides of her face. Her shoulders were covered by white armor that came across the shoulder blades to the neck. She also gained white armored elbow guards and white armored gauntlets. The parts of the arm that weren't covered by armor were covered with a black material as well as her hands. There was also a white armored ring at the base of her tail. In her hands was a large double-bladed lance.

The two warriors locked eyes with one another again in total silence. No words were need, for they both already knew what was coming next.

The warm-up was over… Now, the _real_ fight would begin.

(End)

1~ Those two kids she took care of during the Bleach movie, Fade to Black

2~ Basically, she is dressed in her Dark Rukia outfit with a couple changes

And that wraps up chapter 27! What did you guys think?

Review! Review! Review!

Poll Reminder: As of 11/30/12, the poll has ended with Full Metal Alchemist winning 103-65. So, when this "Children of Prophecy" story ends, I will start one with Naruto and Fullmetal Alchemist.

Author's Note Reminder: Please look at my updated profile… I need you guys to vote on the poll and help me out with the picture/drawing situation I have. The poll is mainly to get your guys' opinion and is not all that important, but I'd still like for you to vote. The drawings though are something I would _really_ like you to help me with. Thank you in advance if you choose to help me!

Next Time: Part 3! Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


	28. Chapter 28: Into the Lion's Den Pt 3

Hey FanFiction! This is pain17ification loading the next chapter of "The Children of Prophecy". This chapter has the group heading for Las Noches to rescue Orihime. This is part 3.

Please note: pain17ification doesn't own Naruto or Bleach! (How would I go about to make it mine anyway?)

AN1: Some of you may complain that I didn't focus on Naruto a lot last chapter. My answer is that he isn't the only Prophecy Child! Ichigo is one as well, so I need to show his fights too; or at least the more interesting ones. X)

AN2: I have another Naruto/Bleach Xover called "Spiritual Bonds" up. As for updating times, I will alternate between this story and my new one each weekend. Just a heads up, next weekend will be a "Spiritual Bonds" update.

"Speech"

'_Thought/Mental speech'_

"**Demonic/Hollowfied speech"**

'_**Demonic/Hollowfied thoughts'**_

"_Jutsu/Shinigami Techniques_"

(Translations)

Scene or Time change/Chapter name

Chapter 28: Going into the Lion's Den Pt. 3

(Last Time)

Rukia gave a small smile as she stated the name of her ascended Zanpakuto. "Sokuban no Shirayuki (Shroud of the White Snow)…"

Ichigo chuckled before he turned his gaze to his opponent. **"Get ready Grimmjow, because this fight is just beginning."**

"Pray, Santa Teresa (Sacred Crying Mantis)!"

"Declare, Gamuza (Antelope Knight)…"

The warm-up round was over. Round Two had begun...

(Now)

Grimmjow glared at the sight of his two opponents smirking at him. He loathed being looked down on like he was nothing. He was not worthless; he is the king and he'd show them by killing them both here and now.

Ichigo was glad that he was able to fight alongside Rukia. She always seemed depressed at the fact that she wasn't strong enough to join him in his battles. Now that she achieved Bankai, she was able to do so without worry. He nodded to her and she returned the gesture before focusing her reiatsu in the air above them. Clouds began to form over the desert while the air itself was slowly getting colder.

"_Yuki Aijin no Mai_ (Dance of the Snow Mistress)…" she called out calmly as flakes of snow began to descend from the clouds. As the snow fell, Rukia's blade began to swirl faster and emit more reiatsu. She pointed the tip at Grimmjow while Ichigo got behind her. "_Tajū Hakuren_ (Multiple White Ripples)!" she cried as she launched simultaneous blasts of frigid wind at the Espada.

"_**Getsuga Tensho**_**!"** Ichigo cried as he merged his dark reiatsu waves with Rukia's attacks. He then disappeared in a blur and fired another behind Grimmjow to block off one of his exits.

Grimmjow growled as he readied two _Ceros_ and fired them in front and behind him. The _Ceros_ clashed against the other attacks in an explosion of reiatsu. He then raced towards Rukia clashed his arm blade against her snowy one. He felt his arm slowly freeze before he sent a kick to her midsection that connected. He smirked at the look of pain on her face before he noticed her form slowly glow blue and emit high levels of reiatsu.

"_Nise Gokkan no Shi_ (False Frigid Death)!" Rukia cried from the sky above Grimmjow before the object he kicked exploded in a burst of ice, snow, and wind. The blast pushed Grimmjow back into Ichigo who slashed into his back with a reiatsu empowered strike. A deep gash was formed from his right shoulder to the left side of his waist and blood spewed from the wound.

Grimmjow used _Sonido_ to put some distance between them before he launched a salvo of spikes from his elbows. The projectiles flew at high speed at them before Ichigo held out his blade in a guarding motion and raised his reiatsu. **"**_**Mangetsu**_ (Full Moon)**!"** From Tensa Zangetsu came a circular shield of black reiatsu that intercepted the spiked bullets. He then moved his blade into a stabbing motion and roared, **"**_**Tsuki Yari** _(Moon Spear)**!"** The blade grew a shadowy extension that flew at Grimmjow like a bullet before it pierced him in his stomach.

The Espada was left panting and bloody after the onslaught he received from his two opponents. He was desperately trying to figure out how they could have defeated him so easily. Then, Naruto's words from before rang through his mind: _"Remember this Grimmjow... There is something behind the throne more powerful than the King…"_ He chuckled humorously at how it finally hit him. These two before him fought for the ones they loved and it was their determination to not fail their loved ones that made them strong. He once had friends that fought for him, and he for them; even though he never realized it. Now, he was alone and the strength of the bonds he had with his friends was gone. He gazed towards his opponents and saw a mask-less Ichigo looking upon him with pity. No doubt the orange-haired Shinigami knew what it was he was contemplating. His friend merely looked on, her body tensed and ready for a retaliation attempt. He chuckled again at that thought. He knew he was going to die here; his wounds were too great and it was getting harder to draw breath.

He slowly descended from the skies above Hueco Mundo to the sands below followed by Ichigo and Rukia. Rukia was still tense and slightly anxious until Ichigo placed a comforting hand on her shoulder and shook his head in the negative. She gave a small nod and relaxed. The fight was over and both Ichigo and Grimmjow knew it. They were just waiting for Grimmjow's final actions.

Grimmjow stared at Ichigo and asked, "You fight for others… That's why you're so damn strong isn't it? Those bonds that Namikaze talked about are your strength…"

The teen nodded at his query. "Yes… The bonds we have with others are where we draw strength from. Without them, we will never reach our true potential."

Grimmjow chuckled hollowly at that. "Funny… I always fought for myself and called myself 'King' while my Fracción followed me without question. I never truly appreciated all that they did for me until I lost them… I suppose I was wrong about the 'King' being the strongest… Namikaze knew that what resides behind the throne were the bonds that make us who we are…"

Ichigo gave a small smile at that, as did Rukia. "Naruto has fought for the bonds he made his entire life… If there's anyone out there that I would fight alongside, it would be him since the bond I've made with him gives me strength."

Grimmjow gave a weak grin at the comment. "I suppose I chose the wrong side then… I just hope that wherever I end up, my friends will be there waiting for me…"

"They will, Grimmjow… I know it."

The bluenette gave a small bark of laughter. "Yea… Thanks for the…vote of…confidence…" he said before he drew his last breath and became still.

Ichigo and Rukia bowed their heads in respect for the now deceased Espada and wished him the best. They then turned to Las Noches and began racing towards it in hopes of catching up with the others.

If they stayed for a few seconds longer, they would have seen Grimmjow fade away into small specks of light.

Nel vs. Nnoitra

"Stand still, you damned bitch!" roared Nnoitra as he missed another strike at the greenette. It annoyed him how much faster she was in her Resurrección Form. It may not have looked it due to her heavy stature, but the centaur-like Arrancar was incredibly fast. All he had was high regeneration of his limbs and hardened skin. The first ability was very helpful to him, but the second was useless against Nel's dual-ended lance. Not to mention her _Lanzador Verde_ (Jade Lance) attack was a devastating long range move that was both incredibly fast and strong.

Nel was getting annoyed as well. The man responsible for the loss of her power and memories just wouldn't go down! Every time she got a good hit in, mainly against one of his many arms, another reformed in its place. Even her _Lanzador Verde_ wasn't as effective as she wanted it to be.

Both Arrancar charged at each other once again and clashed blades. Nel held off Nnoitra's six scythe blades with her lance and readied a _Cero_ from her mouth. Nnoitra's eyes widened before he narrowly evaded the close range attack with a well-timed _Sonido_. He reappeared behind Nel and was about to attack before she used her back hooves to kick him away from her. The kick connected with his chest and knocked the wind out of him. As he tried to regain his bearings, Nel launched her _Lanzador Verde_ once again and connected with his midsection. The lance began drilling against his Hierro and pushing him back. Nnoitra tried to anchor his feet, but the sand was too loose to do so and he kept getting pushed back.

He was then blindsided by a punch by Nel to the right side of his face. He was pushed out of the way of the drilling lance, but Nel grasped the weapon before it flew off and swung it at his chest. The strike connected and caused a deep gash to appear from his left side waist to the right side of his neck. She then held her free hand to his chest and fired a _Cero_ at point-blank range. The blast met its mark and shot Nnoitra across the sands like a human bullet.

As he tumbled through the desert, Nel galloped toward him and readied her lance for another blow. He suddenly disappeared in a burst of speed and reappeared behind her with his blades extended outward. Nel felt six slashes against her skin, but the blows were only minor due to her enhanced Hierro. They both turned simultaneously and struck at each other once again. The weapons met in a small shower of sparks but an incredible shockwave.\

They both then jumped away from one another and regained their breaths. Nel internally was impressed that Nnoitra was giving her this much trouble. It was clear that his number did not do him justice in terms of his strength. While she was not as strong as she once was, since she hadn't fought for years, she was still number 3 in terms of strength for the Espada. Nnoitra was at least a 4 bordering on low 3 right now.

She sighed as she readied a technique that she had gotten to a usable level before Nnoitra's sneak attack years ago. She cut the palm of her right hand before she stabbed her lance into the sand. She then made reiatsu spark in two fingers of her right hand and weaved them in the shape of a seven point star in front of her. The reiatsu lingered in the air while she formed a _Cero_ in her right hand and held it up to the star. The reiatsu surrounded the _Cero_ and reshaped the orb into the shape of a double-edged broadsword with the star shape as its guard.

Nnoitra was gaping at the amount of reiatsu leaking from the blade. It was easily over Taicho levels and was slowly gaining strength. He watched Nel take a couple of practice swings with the blade.

Nel turned her gaze to Nnoitra and spoke in a deathly calm voice, "Prepare yourself, Nnoitra… I haven't quite perfected this yet, but you've forced my hand…" She then held the sword her right hand while her lance was held in her left. In a blur of speed, she threw the lance like a missile towards Nnoitra. He barely dodged it, but was immediately caught off guard by Nel who was currently in mid-swing with her sword. "_Gran Rey Ceroken_ (Royal Hollow Flash Blade)!" she cried as she slashed across his chest and blurred away from him.

Nnoitra stared down at the now glowing slash on his chest before he felt reiatsu increase exponentially from it. He didn't even have time to curse before the reiatsu exploded from the strike and ruptured his inner organs. Blood spewed from the wound and from his mouth as he fell to the ground. He kept coughing up more blood and gasping for air as Nel slowly made her way over to him.

She reverted back to her unreleased form and stared down at Nnoitra. It amazed her that he was still alive. What amazed her further was that he was chuckling while in pain. "You laugh while you approach death… Why?"

He coughed another glob of blood out of his mouth before he smirked at her. "I'm laughing because I'm dying the way I wanted; drenched in my blood after a fierce battle." He then laughed again and asked, "I guess you won't deal the final blow and just walk away like you always did before, huh?"

He continued laughing at his comment before Nel's sword pierced through his throat and cut off the flow of air to his lungs. "Not this time, Nnoitra…" Nel muttered as she slowly removed her blade. "This time, before I walk away, I did end it… I told you that you'd pay for your actions…"

As Nnoitra slowly stopped breathing, Nel watched on and felt a weight lift off of her shoulders. She and her friends had finally received retribution for the actions against them and she felt elated. She gave Nnoitra's dead body one last look before she disappeared in a _Sonido_ and began heading off after the others.

They still had someone to save after all…

(End)

And that wraps up chapter 28! What did you guys think?

Review! Review! Review!

Author's Note Reminder: Due to my newest story, "Spiritual Bonds", being a Naruto/Bleach Xover like this one is, I will alternate my weekly updates between this story and my new one each weekend. Just a heads up, next weekend will be a "Spiritual Bonds" update. So, do not expect a "Children of Prophecy" update. Okay?

Next Time: Part 4! Stay Tuned!

-pain17ification


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